IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


4 


i^.<Sf 


^ 


r/. 


^ 


1.0 


1.1 


■a  128  12.5 
1^  1^  122 
2.0 


lU 

u 


14.0 


I 

Inn: 


1.25    ||U    |,.6 

M 

6"     

» 

Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  h^AXH  STREET 

WUSTBR.H.Y    I4S«Q 

(716)  •73-4S03 


0 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CiHM/iCMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproducticns  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


j      I    Covers  damaged/ 


□ 


Couverture  endommag^e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul^e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


D 


D 


D 


D 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bloue  ou  noire) 

I      I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 


r~li    Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 


along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 

distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  dtd  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilmi  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ixi  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-#tre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique.  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 


x/ 


□ 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^colordes.  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 


Th 
to 


Th 

PC 

of 
fill 


Or 
be 
thi 
sk 
oti 
fir 
sic 
or 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthroughy 
Transparence 

Quality  of  priri 

Qualiti  inigale  de  ('impression 

Includes  supplementary  materit 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppi^mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Jeule  Edition  disponible 


Fyj    Showthrough/ 

r~T|    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 

nOnly  edition  available/ 


Th 
sh 
Til 
wl 

Ml 
dif 
en 
be 

rig 
ret 
mc 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  tota^ement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une  pelure. 
etc.,  ont  dti  film^es  d  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

J 

1 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

Tho  copy  filmed  hora  hat  bean  reproduced  thanke 
to  the  generoaity  off: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 


L  exemplaire  filmA  f ut  reproduit  grtce  A  la 
ginAroaitA  de: 

La  biblioth^que  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  iegibility 
of  the  or'ryi.nal  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  c  ontract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covera  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  Illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  Illustrated  Impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —4^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  images  sulvantes  ont  At6  reproduites  avac  ie 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet*  de  i'exemplaire  f limA,  et  en 
conformity  avac  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
ffilmage. 

Les  exemplaires  orlglnaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimAe  sont  filmto  en  commen9ant 
par  Ie  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impresslon  ou  d'lllustration,  soit  par  ie  second 
plat,  salon  Ie  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
orlginaux  sont  filmte  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impresslon  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  compoite  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboies  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
dernlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  seion  'm 
cas:  Ie  symbols  -^>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  Ie 
symbole  y  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
diffferent  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
fllmte  A  des  taux  de  rMuction  diffirents. 
Lorsqua  Ie  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  ciich6, 11  est  fllm6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArleur  gauche,  de  gauf  le  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessalre.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

) 


-  *■ 


w-w^ 


I    • 


[•     -sm 


) 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 


WITH  NOTICES  OF 


(    ■ 


COMMODORE  ELLIOT'S  CONDUCT 


jf  AV^wi 


IN  THAT  ENGAGEMENT 


BY  HON.  TRISTAM  BUKGES. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

WM.    MARSHALL   &   CO 

1839. 


> 


V 


\ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1839,  by 

Francis  Y.  Carlile, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Rhode-Island. 


provtdence: 

B.  CRANSTON  &  CO.  FRINTIRS. 


I     f> 


ifflB^V 


CONTENTS. 


Preface,        .... 

pages 

Lecture, 

•                            4 

17 

Notes,           .... 

.       59 

Diagram,  No.  1, 

•                              • 

70 

Diagram,  No.  2, 

.       73 

Diagram,  No.  3, 

i>                            • 

77 

American  Official  Account,     . 

.       80 

British  Official  Account, 

•                             • 

85 

English  Naval  Court  Martial, 

.       90 

Anierican  Court  of  Inquiry, 

•                             • 

91 

Com.  Perry's  Letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  93 

Charges  preferred  by  Commodore  Perry, 

98 

Captain  Turner's  Affidavit, 

.     103 

Captain  Stevens'  Affidavit, 

106 

Captain  Champlin's  Affidavit, 

.     108 

Purser  Breese's  Affidavit,     . 

110 

Captain  Brownell's  Affidavit, 

.     112 

Captain  Taylor's  Affidavit, 

115 

Doctor  Parsons'  Letter, 

.     120 

A  Letter  from  an  Officer, 

126 

Elliot's  Letter  to  Perry, 

.     128 

Perry's  Reply  to  Elliot, 

130 

4 


i  . 


i  ■ 


'^c:- 


'm^v 


k 


"'^ 


i 


PREFACE. 


1- 


In  the  winter  of  1836,  a  course  of  lectures 
was  read  in  the  city  of  Providence,  before  the 
Historical  Society  of  Rhode-Island.  The  early 
history  of  the  State  was  a  general  theme,  and, 
among  other  things,  the  maritime  affairs  of  our 
little  Commonwealth  were  deemed  worthy  of 
attention.   %  * 

The  writ6f  of  the  following  Lecture,  collect- 
ed the  materials,  arranged  most  of  the  lec- 
tures, and  wrote  several  of  them,  for  an  entire 
course,  on  this  part  of  our  history.  These 
were  intended  to  have  been  read  before  the 
Sociefjr,  after  the  general  course  was  termi- 
nated ;  but  this  was,  for  a  sufficient  reason, 


■I- 


I    1 


VI 


PREFACE. 


then  omitted,  and  it  is  not  now  probable  that 
it  will  ever  be  done.  The  lecture  on  the  fleet 
and  battle  of  Erie,  was  the  only  one  of  the 
course  then  read. 

It  will  be  remembered,  that  not  long  before 
that  time,  he,  who,  at  the  beginning  of  that 
battle,  commanded  the  Niagara,  had  publicly 
set  up  a  claim  to  the  whole  glory  of  its  suc- 
cessful termination.  This  was,  doubtless,  one 
reason  why  the  printing  of  the  following  lec- 
ture was  then  requested,  both  by  the  Society, 
and  by  individuals,  who  regarded  the  achieve- 
ments of  the  distinguished  commander  of  that 
fleet,  as  a  heritage  of  glory,  to  be  cherished, 
and  preserved,  by  the  whole  nation.  A  copy 
was  not  then  furnished,  because  it  was  be- 
lieved that  the  gentleman,  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  General  Assembly  of  Rhode- 
Island,  to  write  the  biography  of  Commodore 
Perry,  would  soon  finish,  and  publish  that 
work.  This  would  supersede  all  necessity  for 
printing  this  lecture. 

The  delay  of  that  publication,  and  another 
event  of  a  public  character,  have  induced  the 
writer  of  the  lecture,  at  the  anxious  request 


» 


I    'i 


PREFACE. 


Vll 


of  the  family  and  friends  of  Commodore  Perry, 
to  furnish  a  copy  of  it  for  the  press.      „>"" 

In  doing  t'lia,  it  has  been  thought  appropri- 
ate to  give  the  ret^sons  which  inducedH.be  wri- 
ter to  regard  the  fleet  and  battle  of  Erie,  as  a 
part  of  the  maritime  affairs  of  Rhode-Island. 

At  the  commencement  of  th<p  J!»e volution,  it 
is  believed  that  the  people  of  Rhode-I/iUlid 
were,  in  their  maritime  character,  much  in  ad- 
Vance  of  any  other  of  the  Colonies.  They 
had  more  nautical  men  fit  to  command,  and 
more  vessels  fit  for  public  service,  than  any 
other.  The  idea  of  a  national  fleet  was  first 
conceived  in  Rhode-Island.  Of  this,  ample 
proof  shall  be  firnished. 

At  the  August  session,  holden  at  East- 
Greenwich,  Anno  Salvatoris  Nostrorum,  1775, 
the  General  Assembly  of  Rhode-Island  made 
the  first  movement  ever  made,  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic,  to  build,  and  establish  a  national 
fleet.  It  will  be  found  in  their  own  words,  at 
page  103-4  of  their  journal ;  and  as  no  other 
words  can  be  so  apposite  to  their  meaning, 
they  will  be  quoted  here  just  as  they  stand 
on  their  record.  * 


f 


I 


Vlll 


PREFACE. 


*' Whereas,  notwithstanding"  the  humble 
and  dutiful  petition  of  Congress  to  the  King, 
and  other  wise  and  pacific  measures,  taken 
for  obtaining  a  happy  reconciliation  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  Colonies  ;  the  Ministers, 
lost  to  every  sentiment  of  justice,  liberty,  and 
humanity,  continue  to  send  troops  and  ships 
of  war  into  America,  which  destroy  our  trade, 
plunder  and  burn  our  towns,  and  murder  the 
good  people  of  these  Colonies  : 

It  is,  therefore.  Voted  and  Resolved,  that 
this  Colony  most  ardently  wish  to  see  the 
former  friendship,  harmony,  and  intercourse, 
between  Britain  and  these  Colonies,  restored, 
and  a  happy,  and  lasting  connexion  estab- 
lished between  both  countries  upon  terms  of 
just  and  equal  liberty  ;  and  will  concur  with 
other  colonies  in  all  proper,  and  necessary 
measures  for  obtaining  these  desirable  bless- 
ings ;  and  as  every  principle,  divine  and 
human,  requires  us  to  obey  that  great  and 
fundamental  law  of  nature,  self-preservation, 
until  peace  shall  be  restored  upon  constitu- 
tional principles  ;  this  colony  will  most  heartily 
exert  the  whole  power  of  Government,  in 


•i 


1 
I 


F 


IW 


'* 


'•  t 


i 


PREFACE.  iX 

conjunction  with  other  colonies,  for  carrying 
on  this  just  and  necessary  war,  and  bringing 
the  same  to  a  happy  issue  :  and  among  other 
measures  for  obtaining  this  most  desirable  pur- 
pose, this  Assembly  is  persuaded  that  the 
building  and  equipping  an  American  fleet,  as 
soon  as  possible,  would  greatly  and  essen- 
tially conduce  to  the  preservation  of  the  lives, 
liberty  and  property  of  the  good  people  of  these 
Colonies ;  and,  therefore,  instruct  their  dele- 
gates to  use  their  whole  influence,  at  the 
ensuing  Congress,  for  building,  at  the  Conti- 
nental expense,  a  fleet  of  suflicicnt  force  for 
the  protection  of  these  Colonies,  and  for  em- 
ploying them  in  such  manner  and  places,  as 
will  most  annoy  our  enemies,  and  contribute 
to  the  common  defence  of  these  Colonies : 
and  they  are  also  instructed  to  use  all  their 
influence  for  carrying  on  the  war  in  the  most 
vigorous  manner  until  peace,  liberty,  and  safe- 
ty be  restored  and  secured  to  these  colonics 
upon  an  equitable  and  permanent  basis." 

That  Congress  to  which  Stephen  Hopkins 
and  Samuel  Ward'had  been  elected  delegates, 
assembled  at  Philadelphia,  on  Wednesday,  the 


acs 


•  1 


K.  PREFACE. 

5th  day  of  September,  1775.  A  quorum  not 
attending  on  that  day,  they  adjourned  from 
day  to  day,  until  the  13th  of  that  month.  It  is 
not  known  on  what  day  the  Rhode-Island  de- 
legates took  their  seats  in  that  Congress  ;  but, 
as  it  appears  by  the  journal,  vol.  1,  page  147, 
"  Tuesday,  October  3d,  one  of  the  delegates 
from  Rhode-Island  laid  before  Congress  a  part 
of  the  instructions  given  them  by  their  two 
Houses  of  Legislature,  on  the  26th  of  August 
last."  These  are,  verbatim,  the  words  of  the 
Congressional  record. 

These  instructions  are  the  first  intimations, 
on  the  records  of  Congress,  of  any  movement 
on  the  subject  of  a  continental  fleet.  They 
were  the  germ  of  our  United  States  navy. 
That  germ  was  planted  in  the  maritime  soil 
of  Rhode-Island.  It  has  flourished;  and  its 
branches  now  reach  every  sea,  every  ocean ; 
and  the  glory  of  our  country  sets  in  safety 
under  their  shade. 

Who,  in  our  State,  or  our  Assembly,  first 
intimated  the  building  of  a  national  fleet,  can- 
not now  be  known.  There  is  no  record  of  his 
name.     It  might  be  George  Champlin,  or  Wil- 


,vS« 


:      fi 


1        I 

I, 


PREFACE.  ^J0^ 

Ham  Bradford,  or  John  Brown,  or  Welcome 
Arnold.  It  was  for  our  country  a  glorious 
conception ;  and  twin-brother  to  the  bjrl^t 
idea  of  Themistocles,  who  taught  the  Atheni- 
ans that  the  wooden  walls  of  the  Delphic  Or- 
acle, were  that  national  navy  with  which  they 
destroyed,  or  dispersed,  the  fleet  of  Xerxes, 
and  secured  the  liberties  of  the  Grecian  States. 

It  is  true,  our  literature  has  hitherto  been 
silent  concerning  our  own  achievements,  and 
but  for  this  humble  effort,  the  facts,  now  stat- 
ed, would  have  been  left  rusting  in  our  re- 
cords like  a  sword  in  the  scabbard,  until  drawn 
out  and  held  up  to  the  world  by  men  of  other 
States. 

It  is  remarked  by  historians,  that  the  Spar- 
tans satisfied  themselves  by  doing  gallant 
deeds ;  while  the  Athenians  not  only  knew 
how  to  perform,  but  also  how  to  celebrate 
heroic  exploits. 

What  Decatur  said  of  Lawrence,  might  be 
said  of  Rhode-Island.  ''  The  young  fellow," 
exclaimed  the  hero  of  Tripoli,  "  has  not  much 
talk  for  himself ;  but  there  is  no  more  dodge 
in  hira  than  there  is  in  the  main-mast." 


Xll 


PRF.FACE. 


On  the  25th  of  November,  1775,  Congress 
took  into  consideration  the  rules  and  orders 
for  the  fleet  of  the  United  Colonies.  On  Tues- 
day, the  28th,  they  were  debated,  paragraph 
by  paragraph,  and  finally  agreed  to  and  settled. 
December  22d,  the  committee  for  engaging 
p,.  armed  vessels,  reported  that  they  had  engaged 

four,  viz. : 

The  Columbus,  Abraham  Whipple,  Captain  ; 
the  Alfred  Dudley,  Saltonstall,  Captain  ;  the 
Andrew  Dorea,  James  Biddle,  Captain  ;  the 
Cabbott,  John  Burroughs  Hopkins,  Captain. 
That  they  had  appointed  Esek  Hopkins  com- 
modore of  the  fleet.  That  they  had  appointed 
John  Paul  Jones,   Rhodes  Arnold,  Haysted 

Harker,  Jonathan  Pitcher,  and Stanbury, 

first  Lieutenants  ;  and  Benjamin  Seabury,  Jo- 
seph Olney,  Elisha  Weaver,  Thomas  Weaver, 
t  and M'Dougal,  second  Lieutenants. 

This  is  the  first  American  fleet  which  ever 
hoisted  sail  to  the  winds  of  heaven.  The  pro- 
ject of  such  a  fleet  was  first  proposed  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  Rhode-Island.  It  was 
laid  before  Congress  by  the  delegates  from 
Rhode-Island  ;  as,  I  belie\  e,  Rhode -Island  fur- 


^-  tS- 


^  l^i:- 


ii 


PREFACE. 


xm 


nished  two  of  the  ships — and,  we  all  know 
that  Rhode-Island  furnished  the  Commodore 
of  the  fleet ;  two  of  the  Captains  ;  three  of  the 
first,  and  four  of  the  second  Lieutenants  ;  ar.d 
in  all  probability,  most,  if  not  all  the  other  of- 
ficers and  men  for  at  least  two  of  the  ships. 

This  report  was  received  and  established  ; 
and  Commodore  Hopkins,  with  the  fleet  under 
his  command,  was  ordered  to  proceed  to  the 
Bahama  Islands,  and  capture  the  warlike  stores 
of  Great  Britain  deposited  at  New  Providence; 
and  then  to  cruise  on  the  coast  of  the  Carolinas, 
and  intercept  the  British  vessels  found  in  those 
waters. 

The  first  of  these  orders  was  fulfilled  to  the 
letter.  For  the  Commodore  more  than  load- 
ed his  fleet  with  those  stores  ;  and  was  obliged 
to  impress  one  of  the  colonial  vessels  to  aid  in 
bringing  away  the  captured  cannon  and  mu- 
nitions of  war.  It  is  believed  he  sailed  from 
the  United  Colonies  early  in  February,  1776  ; 
for  on  the  3d  of  March,  of  that  year,  he  cap- 
tured the  fort  at  New  Providence. 

After  this  success,  his  fleet  being  deeply 
laden  with  stores  so  highly  important  to  the 


# 


*   -  * 


XIV 


PREFACE. 


Colonies,  he,  to  secure  these  valuable  stores, 
returned  directly,  and  unladed  them  at  New- 
London. 

Sir  Peter  Parker  was,  at  the  same  time,  ap- 
proaching Charleston,  S.  C,  with  a  powerful 
British  fleet.  He  made  his  attack  on  that 
place,  June  17th,  1776  ;  and  had  Commodore 
Hopkins  cruised  on  that  coast,  ho  must  have, 
in  all  probability,  met  the  English  fleet  of  much 
greater  force  than  his  own,  and  nothing  short 
of  a  miracle  could  have  saved  his  fleet  with 
all  their  stores,  from  capture  and  entire  loss. 

On  the  19th  of  August,  1776,  Commodore 
Hopkins  was  ordered  by  Congress  to  join  the 
fleet.  In  the  following  November,  the  rank 
and  pay  of  naval  oflicers  were  raised,  and  a 
bounty  given  on  captured  guns. 

The  ranks,  above  Captain,  were  Admiral, 
Vice-Admiral,  Rear- Admiral,  and  Commodore. 
Esek  Hopkins,  of  North-Providence,  in  the 
State  of  Rhode-Island,  was  the  first,  and  the 
only  American,  who,  in  an  American  fleet, 
bore  the  title  of  Admiral. 

These  facts  prove,  that,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Revolution,  the  people  of  Rhode- 


m 


■«-■ 


PREFACE. 


XV 


Island  were  in  advance  of  the  other  colonies, 
in  skill  and  enterprise  in  naval  aff^g.  They 
also  prove,  that  the  American  BAF^y jfi^^l^ 
bears  over  the  ocean,  and  ir]i  view  of  all  na- 
tions, the  power  of  our  country,  was  origin- 
ated in  Rhode-Island. 

When  these  things  are  considered,  and  it 
is  called  to  mind  that  Commodore  Perry  was 
a  native  of  Rhode-Island,  and  that  he  carried 
with  him  from  that  State  up  to  the  lake,  those 
men,  who,  under  his  direction,  with  the  aid  of 
a  few  others,  built  and  equipped  that  fleet, 
which,  under  his  command,  subdued  the  ene- 
my on  those  waters,  it  is  not  too  much  to  re- 
gard this  distinguished  enterprise  as  a  part  of 
the  maritime  affairs  of  Rhode-Island.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  the  achievement  was  glorious  for 
our  country,  and  no  manner  of  considering  it 
can  diminish  its  merits  or  tarnish  its  splendor. 

Nothing  more  is  claimed  for  the  Lecture 
than  what  may  be  due  to  a  plain  and  true  ac- 
count of  the  fleet  and  battle,  drawn  from  a 
faithful  examination  of  all  the  evidence  in  the 
case. 

Providence,  *^ugust,  •^.  D,  1839. 


f  .'..; 


M   \^\ 


if 


LECTURE 


It  is  the  purpose  of  the  present  lecture  to 
give  a  concise  narrative  of  the  fleet  and  battle 
on  Lake  Erie. 

In  the  summer  of  1812,  Oliver  Hazard 
Perry,  of  Rhode-Island,  a  young  man,  Cap- 
tain in  the  United  States  Navy,  was  com- 
mander of  a  flotilla  of  gun-boats,  which> — as 
Burke  says  of  chivalry,  had  been  deemed  in 
our  country  the  cheap  defence  of  nations, — 
collected  for  the  protection  of  the  waters  of 
our  coast,  from  Newport  to  New  York. 

In  the  winter  of  1812-13,  he  was  ordered  to 
Lake  Erie,  to  take  the  command,  and  provide 
a  fleet  for  that  station.     The  enemy  had  then, 


18 


LECTURE. 


*■    h 


(^ 


t    1 


i  ; 


!      I 


l^     \ 


on  those  waters,  two  ships,  two  brigs,  and 
several  schooners  and  sloops,  in  all,  mounting 
more  than  sixty-four  guns.     The  Americans 

4 

had  the  Caledonia,  a  brig,  afterwards  mount- 
ing three  guns,  and  two  or  three  unarmed 
small  schooners  or  sloops.  The  British  had, 
by  land  as  well  as  by  water,  the  entire  com- 
mand of  that  lake  ;  and  the  frontier,  border- 
ing upon  it,  was  at  the  mercy  of  General  Proc- 
tor and  his  savage  allies. 

Commodore  Perry  arrived  at  Erie  on  the 
26th  of  March,  1813.  He  carried  with  him 
from  Newport,  149  men  and  3  boys,  all  of 
whom  were  volunteers.  Some  were  commis- 
fiioned  officers,  some  warrant  officers,  some  ar- 
tificers, some  seamen,  and  some  ordinary  sea- 
men. About  one  third  of  the  petty  officers  and 
men  remained  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  for  service 
on  Lake  Ontario.  This  was  done  by  the  order 
of  Commodore  Chauncey,  the  commander  on 
that  lake.  It  greatly  retarded  the  operations 
of  Perry  on  lake  Erie  ;  and  was,  doubtless,  in- 
tended by  Chauncey  to  have  that  effect.  They 
had  left  Newport,  February  19th,  with  Perry, 


LECTURE.  19 

and  had  volunteered  from  pure  personal  at- 
tachment  to  hitn.  > 

Nothing  can  show  this  attachment  to  Perry 
more  strongly  than  the  fact,  that  James  Wea- 
ver, a  master's  mate,  who,  a  boy,  when  Bar- 
ton captured  Prescott,  was  then  his  guide, 
now  volunteered  to  go  to  Erie  with  his  gallant 
young  townsman,  in  the  dead  of  winter,  to 
this  unknown  northern  service. 

The  fleet  of  Eneas,  so  Maro  sings,  when 
riding  at  anchor  in  the  Tyber,  and,  in  his  ab- 
sence attacked  by  the  Rutulians,  and  likely  to 
be  burned,  was,  by  a  miracle  of  poetic  my- 
thology, changed  into  a  shoal  of  dolphins,  and 
went  off  spot-  ing  down  the  stream  ;  and  if  so, 
they  may,  for  aught  we  know,  be  at  this  time 
playing  about  the  mouth  of  that  river;  or 
shewing  their  bright  sides  to  the  sun,  in  other 
parts  of  the  Tyrean  sea. 

Perry,  and  his  hardy  Rhode-Island  mari- 
ners, travelled  up  to  the  lake,  for  something 
not  quite  so  poetic. 

They  were  required  to  change  the  oaks,  and 
the  green  pines  and  hemlocks,  then  standing 
on  those  shores,  into  a  fleet  of  ships  and  ves- 


20  LECTURE. 

-sels,  and  fit  them  out  to  encounter,  and  over- 
come, in  battle,  on  those  waters,  a  fleet  then 
armed,  equipped  and  manned  with  British  sail- 
ors ;  men,  who  had  never,  before  that  time, 
met  an  equal,  in  any  fleet,  on  that  element. 

In  this  there  was  no  poetry,  nor  any  other 
miracle  than  bone  labor,  matchless  skill,  and 
unconquerable  bravery. 

Every  Yankee  is  an  axe  man  ;  and  all  the 
companions  of  Perry  were  of  the  full  blood  ; 
and  most  of  them  the  best  of  that  blood,  the 
Rhode-Island  stock. 

These,  with  a  few  more  shipwrights,  smiths, 
caulkers,  riggers,  and  sailmakers,  built  and 
equipped  this  fleet ;  and  launched  the  whole 
into  the  harbor  of  Erie,  rigged  and  ready  to 
sail,  in  about  ninety  days,  after  the  first  blow 
was  struck. 

They  built  from  the  stump,  six  vessels  ;  the 
Lawrence,  of  twenty  guns — two  long  twelves, 
and  eighteen  24  pound  carronades  ;  the  Nia- 
gara, of  two  long  twelves,  and  eighteen  24 
pound  carronades  ;  the  Ariel,  of  four  guns,  18's 
and  24's  ;  the  Scorpion,  of  two  guns,  thirty- 


LECTURE. 


21 


twos  ;  the  Porcupine,  of  one  gun,  a  thirty-two; 
and  the  Tigress,  of  one  gun,  a  thirty-two.    ^ 

During  the  same  time,  they  repaire.^  and 
made  efficient,  the  Caledonia,  of  thre^  guns, 
24'8  and  32's  ;  the  Somers,  of  two  guns,  thir- 
ty-twos ;  the  Trippe,  of  one  gun,  a  thirty-two, 
and  the  Ohio,  of  like  force,  but  not  jya  the 
battle. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  of  Erie,  there  is 
a  bar  ;  and  on  this,  the  water  was  then  so 
shallow,  that  the  vessels  could  not  be  floated 
out  over  it.  They  had  been  built  in  this  place, 
because,  in  no  other  on  the  lake,  could  they 
be  secure  from  the  enemy. 

To  carry  them  out  over  the  bar,  in  the  face 
of  this  enemy,  superior  in  force,  had  they  all 
been  furnished  with  guns,  and,  as  it  must  be, 
entirely  unarmed,  was  a  labor,  which  tasked 
the  Yankee  invention,  no  less  than  the  valor, 
of  the  young  Commodore  and  his  associates. 

They  were  loaded  on  the  backs  of  camels, 

and  carried  out  over  the  bar  into  deep  water. 

An  Arab,  who,  from  the  back  of  his  camel,  on 

the  desert,  had,  at  a  safe  distance,  looked  at 
2* 


i  i 


i 


il 


1    :^ 


if  i 


22  LECTURE. 

the  French  and  English  fleets,  in  the  bay  ot 
Abouker,  would  not  believe  a  word  of  all  this 

story. 
ffff^f>^t  is  literally  true.  These  camels  were  of 
sin^ple  mechanism,  and  American  manufac- 
ture. They  were  long,  broad,  deep  boxes, 
made  of  planks,  like  scows,  and  perfectly  wa- 
ter tight ;  with  holes  to  fill,  and  sink,  and 
pumps  to  exhaust  them  of  water,  and  raise 
them  so  as  to  float  with  their  upper  edge  high 
above  the  surface.  These,  placed  on  each 
side,  and  connected  by  strong  beams,  on  which 
the  vessels  being  placed  when  they  were  sunk; 
thus  raised  the  vessels  up  above  the  bar,  when 
the  camels  were  pumped  out,  and  rose  again 
by  their  own  buoyancy. 

The  guns  of  the  fleet  had  been  mounted  in 
batteries  on  the  shore  ;  and  the  militia,  under 
General  Mead,  then  encamped  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, were  embodied,  and  united  with  the 
seamen  in  defending  these  vessels,  while  they 
were  thus  travelling  over  the  bar,  on  the 
backs  of  these  able  bodied  camels. 

Thus,  in  the  face  of  an  enemy,  superior  in 
force,  this  fleet  was  built,  put  afloat,  and 


LECTURE.  1$ 

equipped.  The  enemy,  however,  before  they 
were  ready  to  make  sail,  withdrew  to  the  har- 
bor near  Maiden  ;  and  retired  under  the^nn 
of  the  British  fortress. 

The  American  fleet,  when  ready  for  sailing, 
consisted  of  the  Lawrence,  the  flag  veesel  of 
Commodore  Perry ;  the  Niagara,  afterward* 
Captain  Elliott ;  the  Caledonia ;  Lieutenant 
Turner ;  the  Ariel,  Lieutenant  Packett ;  the 
Scorpion,  Sailing-Master  Champlin  ;  the  Som- 
ers,  Sailing-Master  Almy ;  the  Trippe,  Lieu- 
tenant Stevens  ;  the  Tigress,  Lieutenant  Conk- 
lin  ;  the  Porcupine,  Midshipman  Smith.  The 
Ohio  had  sailed  down  the  lake,  on  other  ser- 
vice, before  the  10th  of  September,  and  was 
not  in  the  battle. 

These  nine  vessels,  mounted,  in  all,  fifty-four 
gun^;  ten  less  than  the  British  fleet.  The 
Lawrence,  the  Niagara,  the  Caledonia,  the 
Ariel,  and  the  Scorpion,  were  all  equally  good 
and  fine  sailers ;  but  thf  Somers,  Trippe,  Ti- 
gress, and  Porcupine,  were  dull. 

The  British  vessels  were  stout  built,  with 
thick  bulwarks  of  solid  oak  ;  but  the  Ameri- 
can were  built  in  a  hasty  manner,  and  intend- 


I! 


'iKj..  t  •■ 


34 


LECTURE. 


ed  merely  to  carry  guns  and  men  ;  and  bring 
them  down  along  side  of  their  adversary. 

So  soon  as  P^^^  y  had  mounted  his  guns  on 
board,  he  pushed  out  on  a  cruise ;  but  manned 
in  a  considerable  part  by  brave  fellows  from 
the  militia.  They  run  up,  and  over  the  lake, 
Ao  the  British  side,  and  passed  their  fleet,  then 
in  port ,  but  no  movement  being  made  by  the 
enemy  to  come  out,  and  capture  the  Ameri- 
cans, they  leisurely  sailed  down  the  lake,  and 
then  up  again  to  their  port,  at  Put-in-Bay. 

At  the  pressing  request  of  Perry,  Commo- 
dore Chauncey  sent  him  one  hundred  men,  up 
from  Ontario,  under  the  commanc  of  Captain 
Elliot.  He  took  the  command  of  the  Niagara, 
before  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Turner,  of 
Newport.  The  one  hundred  men,  brought 
with  him,  were  all  able  bodied,  and  had  been 
in  considerable  service,  on  the  waters  of  On- 
tario and  Erie.  Most  of  these  went  on  board 
the  Niagara,  with  Elliot.  This  gave  that  ves- 
sel a  decided  superiority,  in  that  respect,  to 
any  other  in  the  fleet. 

In  model,  in  equipment,  in  rigging,  sails  and 
movement,  she  was,  before  that,  on  a  par 


#■ 


M. 


LECTURE. 


25 


with  the  Lawrence  ;  and  these  men  having 
beea  in  more  service,  more  brave  they  could 
not  be,  gave  the  Niagara  a  decided  superiority 
in  that  respect,  to  the  Lawrence. 

Lieutenant  Turner  mentioned  this  to  Cofii- 
modore  Perry,  when  Elliot  was  calljum  :ie 
men  who  came  with  him,  to  their  several 
stations  ;  but  because  Elliot  had  brought 
them  up  to  Erie  with  him,  thb  Commodore 
declined  altering  his  arrangement. 

The  deficiency  of  men  in  the  fleet,  was 
supplied  by  brave  fellows,  volunteering  from 
the  ranks  of  General  Harrison's  army. 

This  army  was  then  encamped  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  fleet ;  and  waiting  the  event 
of  the  battle,  which,  it  was  believed,  would 
enable  the  Commodore  to  transport  the  Gen- 
eral and  his  troops,  to  the  other  side,  to  en- 
counter General  Proctor,  and  the  British 
forces  then  near  Maiden. 

The  Americans  were  eager  to  engage,  and 
open  the  way  into  Canada.  General  Harrison 
and  his  brave  companions,  were  anxious  to 
have  an  opportunity  to  wash  off*  in  their  own 
blood,  the  fou!  blot,  placed  on  the  American 


■% 


#■ 


1'  > 
!  } 
.'i 


26 


LECTURE. 


charactor,  by  the  retreat,  and  surrender  of 
Maiden  and  Detroit ;  and  by  driving  the 
British  and  their  Indian  allies,  from  Upper 
Canada,  to  secure  the  frontiers  of  Michigan, 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  New- York. 

How  long  the  British  fleet  might  have  kept 
their  shelter,  in  the  harbor  of  Maiden,  is  not 
known.  Exigencies  called  them  out ;  the 
want  of  provision,  in  the  British  army,  com- 
pelled them  to  put  out,  and  attempt  to  clear 
the  lake  of  the  American  fleet;  so  that  they 
might,  with  safety,  run  down  to  Long  Point, 
their  depot  ofxstores,  and  provision  the  camp. 

The  British  fleet  had  a  veteran  commander, 
the  American,  a  young  sailor.  Barclay  had 
conquered  with  JV^feon,  at  Traffalgar;  Perry  had 
probably  never  seen  the  combined  movement  of 
ships,  in  a  fleet,  formed  in  line  of  battle. 
.  ;^he  two  fleets  might  be  equal  in  lumber  of 
men  ;  but  all,  in  the  British,  were  seamen,  or 
marines,  or  soldiers ;  while  many,  in  the 
American,  were  militia,  or  new  levies,  from 
the  ranks  of  the  army. 

In  number  of  vessels,  we  exceeded  by  three  ; 
the  enemy  had  a   superiority  of  ten  in  the 


1^ 


iv 


LECTURE. 


27 


number  of  guns.  The  vessels  of  the  enemy- 
were  impervious  to  the  shot  of  our  carronades; 
but  their  long  guns  hulled  the  thin  sides  q(  J^^ 
our  vessels,  through  and  through.  Let  him 
be  praised  who  has  told  us  that  ^<  the  Xiactle 
is  not  always  to  the  strong." 

Two  of  the  British  vessels  were  ships;  none 
of  the  American  were  better  provided  with 
masts,  spars,  rigging,  and  sails,  than  brigs 
mJght  carry.  The  Detroit,  Commodore  Bar- 
clay's flag  ship,  had  nineteen  guns  only;  but 
they  were  long  12's,  IS's  and  24's.  He  was 
supported  in  his  command,  by  Captain  Pin- 
nis,  of  the  Queen  Charlotte ;  in  the  whole 
fleet  were  three  Captains  and  the  Commodore. 
While  in  the  American,  there  was  but  two 
Captains,  Perry  and  Elliot ;  all  the  other  ves- 
sels were  commanded  by  Lieutenants,  Sailing- 
Masters,  or  Midshipmen. 

The  evening  before  the  battle,  the  ore"'  ~  of 
engagement  was  settled.  By  this.  Captain 
Elliot,  in  the  Niagara,  was  to  lead  the  van; 
and  it  was  determined,  to  attack  the  enemy, 
at  their  anchorage,  if  they  did  not  come  out 
to  engage.    On  the  morning  of  the  10th,  when 


■7^^'IR^     -^  ■ 


\.'.^. 


28 


LECTURE. 


■Vfl- 


the  enemy  hove  in  sight,  and  had  formed  with 
their  flag  ship  at  the  head  of  the  line  ;  Perry 
^H?*^  ^  had  determined  to  attack  that  ship  him- 
seli ,  changed  the  order  of  sailing,  run  down  to 
the  encounter,  and  took  the  van  himself. 

This  change  in  the  order  of  sailing,  was  in- 
stantly communicated  to  the  whole  fleet,  by 
signal. 

The  young  Commodore,  at  the  close  of  the 
council  of  war,  on  the  evening  of  the  9th,  told 
his  oflicers  that  he  could  not  better  advise 
them  than  in  the  words  of  Nelson  :  "  ffyou  lay 
your  enemy  along  side,  you  cannot  be  out  of  your 
placed  "^ 

He  then  gave  the  order  to  each  command- 
ing oflicer  of  the  fleet,  in  writing.  This  order 
closed  with  these  words :  "  Engage  each  your 
designated  adversary,  in  close  action,  at  half  cabled 
length.^''  In  this  designation  the  Lawrence 
was  opposed  to  the  Detroit ;  the  Caledonia, 
with  three  guns,  to  the  Hunter  with  ten  ;  the 
Niagara,  to  the  Queen  Charlotte. 

In  the  American  fleet,  defectively  manned, 
as  they  were,  one  hundred  and  sixteen  men 
and  oflicers,  were  on  the  sick-list,  and  unfit  for 


I 


m. 


LECTURE. 


29 


duty  on  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  Septeiii- 
ber,  1813,  wh6n  they  made  sail,  and  stood  out 
to  encounter  the  enemy. 

I  have,  perhaps,  been  prolix,  in  stating  jthe 
particular  circumstances  of  these  two  fleets  ; 
because  I  find  myself  placed  in  the  condiUo^, 
not  of  the  eulogist,  but  of  the  historian  ;  r  d, 
under  the  most  solemn  obligation  to  do  exact 
justice,  even  here,  in  this  very  limited  num- 
ber of  American  people  aesembled  in  this 
place  :  to  do  justice,  I  say,  in  every  word  I  ut- 
ter ;  and  that,  too,  between  the  living  and  the 
dead. 

For  after  a  lapse  of  more  than  twenty-two 
years,  from  the  day  of  that  memorable  battle, 
and  fourteen  years  after  Commodore  Perry 
has  been  laid  in  his  grave;  while,  during  all 
this  period  of  time,  America  and  Europe, 
have,  with  one  voice,  awarded  to  him  the 
honor  of  this  triumphant  victory,  Captain 
Elliot  has,  very  lately,  claimed  that  honor  for 
himsself. 

In  the  summer  of  183G,  a  book  of  480  octavo 

pages,  was   published  at  Philadelphia,  as  it 

purports  ;  but  with  the  name  of  no  printer  and 
3 


i  i 


i  I 


1^  - 


v.i"' 


■,:<^f-- 


^  LE.CTURE. 

no  writer  anne^ied  to  it.  This  bodk  is  entitled 
"  Biographical  Notes  of  Comnfiodore  Jesse  D. 
EUiot."  About  250  pages  of  this  book  are 
devoted  to  an  account  of  the  battle  on  Lake 
Erie.  It  contains  a  great  nufxi^r  of  letters, 
addressed  to  Commodore  Elliot,  and  which 
could  be  controlled  by  no  one  but  himself. 
The  book  must,  therefore,  be  regarded  as 
autobiography. 

Commodore  Perry,  in  the  moment  of  victo- 
ry, flushed  with  youth  and  triumph  ;  on  the 
eve  of  the  10th,  says,  in  his  first  despatch  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  '•  It  has  pleased 
the  Jllm^hty  to  give  the  arms  osf  the  United 
States  a  signal  victory  over  their  enemies 
on  this  lake." 

Commodore  Elliot,  who,  on  that  day,  com- 
manded the  Niagara,  says  in  the  35th  page  of 
his  book  :  "  It  is  not  doing  too  much  to  say, 
that  to  him,^^  Jesse  D.  Elliot,  " //ic  country  is 
principally  indebted  for  the  honor  of  that  splendid 
victory.'''' 

In  page  195,  he  repeats  that  "  it  is  proved  to 
the  satisfaction  of  every  candid  reader,  that  Captain 
Elliot  ims  CHIEFLY  instrumental  in  gaining  the 


^  X. 


enemies 


LECTURE.  31 

eictory  on  Lake  Erie.^^  These  are  sweeping 
claims  ;  they  should  be  examined  with  candor 
and  without  resentment. 

Jesse  D.  Elliot,  now  a  Commodore  in  the 
United  States  navy,  comes  with  his  claim 
against  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  in  his  grave, 
for  a  reversal  of  the  long  established  judgment 
of  the  world.  He  calls  Pennsylvania,  the 
State  where  he  was  born,  to  support  his  claim 
against  Rhode-Island,  the  birth-place  of  Perry. 
If  Rhode-Island  never  before  lowered  her  flag 
to  Pennsylvania,  yet,  if  justice  require  it,  let 
her  lower  it  now.  Nevertheless,  first  of  all, 
review  the  case  ;  and  then  decide.  I  will,  im- 
partially, sta.c  the  facts  ;  and  you,  in  the  same 
spirit,  may  judge.  " '"     ^ 

On  the  night  of  the  9th  of  September,  1813, 
the  American  fleet  lay  moored  at  Put-in-Bay, 
on  the  southwest  shore  of  Erie.  At  daylight 
on  the  10th,  the  enemy  were  discovered  from 
the  mast  head  of  the  Lawrence,  far  up  the 
lake  in  the  northwest-  This  was,  by  signal, 
immediately  communicated  to  the  fleet  ;  and, 
at  the  same  time,  the  signal  was  given  to  get 
under  weigh.     Perry  told  his  officers  and  men. 


>    * 


■  { 


32 


LECTURE. 


that  the  enemy  should  fight  that  day.  The 
wind  being  southwest,  and  light,  the  Commo- 
dore inquired  of  Sailing-Master  Taylor  wheth- 
er he  could  work  out  of  the  bay,  to  the  wind- 
ward of  the  islands,  at  the  mouth  of  it.  When 
told  he  could  not,  "then,"  said  he,  "wear 
ship  ;  go  out  to  the  leeward,  and  give  the  en- 
emy the  wind  of  us."  Before  this  could  be 
done,  the  wind  started  from  southwest  to 
southeast,  and  gave  our  squadron  a  fair  pas- 
sage out,  to  the  windward  of  that  of  the  ene- 
my. By  this  event,  the  American  fleet,  and 
every  vessel  of  them,  was  enabled  to  take  and 
to  keep  any  distance  from  her  adversary,  which 
each  of  them  might  choose.  This  fact  must  be 
continually  recollected,  as  we  go  on  through 
the  whole  conflict.  There  had  been  a  strug- 
gle, by  the  English  Commodore,  to  get  the 
weathergage  ;  but,  as  it  appears,  after  the 
wind  had  shifted,  and  settled  into  the  south- 
east, he  gave  it  up,  and  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M., 
hove  to  in  a  line  of  battle,  with  his  ships 
heading  to  the  westward,  and  at  the  distance 
ol  about  three  leagues. 


LECTURE. 


33 


Commodore  Perry,  soon  after,  hoisted  his 
broad  pennant  on  board  the  Lawrence,  in- 
scribed with  the  immortal  words  of  him  whose 
name  his  vessel  bore — "  DonH  give  up  the  5/iip." 
And  at  the  sight  of  it,  the  loud  huzzas  of  the 
mariners  resounded  over  the  lake,  from  deck 
to  deck,  along  the  whole  American  line  ;  and 
awakened  the  echoes  which  had  been  sleep- 
ing on  those  waters  and  shores,  ever  since  the 
morning  stars  sang  together.  Our  fleet  ap- 
proached the  enemy,  at  an  angle  of  about  thirty 
degrees  ;  so  that,  when  the  van-ship,  the  Law- 
rence, came  into  close  action  with  the  Detroit, 
the  third,  the  Niagara,  might  be  out  of  car- 
ronade  shot  distance.  The  signal  was  given, 
by  the  Commodore,  for  each  ship  to  engage 
her  adversary,  as  she  came  up,  and  as  desig- 
nated in  previous  orders.  Remember,  those 
orders  made  the  Lawrence  the  adversary  of 
the  Detroit,  the  Caledonia  of  the  Hunter,  and 
the  Niagara  of  the  Queen  Charlotte ;  and 
there,  in  full  view,  lay  those  gallant  British 
adversaries,  with  topsails  back  to  the  mast, 
with  matches  lighted,  coolly  waiting  for  the 

attack  and  the  conflict. 
3* 


It: 


i    ! 


H 


34  LECTURE. 

The  breeze  being  light,  the  American  fleet 
was  two  hours  in  bearing  down  under  all  sail 
over  this  smooth  surface  of  nine  miles.     The 
wind,  though  light,  was  steady ;  and  not  a 
new  movement  was  made  in  steerage,  running 
geer,  or  sail.    All  were  silent.     It  was,  in 
both  fleets,  the  stillness  of  the  elements,  be- 
fore the  storm  of  the  hurricane.     I  will  not 
believe  one  bosom  palpitated  with  fear ;  but 
many  a  one  beat  with  an  aspiration,  and  a 
hope  for  victory.     In  that  awful  pause,  when 
at  times,  every  eye  glanced  on  every  other 
eye,  and  all  were  mingling  souls  in  a  sympa- 
thy of  courage  and  daring  among  their  com- 
rades and   commanders,     how   many  young 
hearts,  for  the  last  time,  breathed  a  sigh  and 
prayed  a  prayer,  for  home,  parents,  brothers, 
sisters,  and  for  "  the  bosom  friend  dearer  than 
all  ?"    Many  a  bright  and  moist  eye  looked, 
for  the  last  time,  on  the  green  shores  and 
sunny  hills  of  their  country.    Rashness,  with- 
out courage,  may  rush  thoughtlessly  into  the 
battle;  but  nothing  but  valor  of  soul  can  stand 
unmoved,  and  wait  for  the  coming  conflict  of 
life  or  death,  victory  or  defeat. 


LECTURE. 


35 


They  stood  every  man  silent  at  his  post ; 
while  the  breath  of  heaven,  born  to  fill  the 
sails  of  commerce,  and  which  never  had  be- 
fore, seemed  reluctant  now,  on  those  quiet 
waters,  to  aid  men  in  mutual  destruction. 

At  fifteen  minutes  before  12,  M.,  Commodore 
Perry  gave  the  signal  for  close  action ;  and 
then  by  trumpet;  sent  down,  from  ship  to  ship, 
along  the  whole  line,  a  repetition  of  the  order, 
"  Engage  your  adversary,  each  as  you  come 
up,  as  before  directed."  This,  be  it  remem- 
bered, was,  in  close  action  at  half  cablets  length. 

At  fifteen  minutes  before  12,  M.,  the  British 
Commodore  commenced  the  action,  by  a  dis- 
charge from  his  long  guns,  at  the  Lawrence. 
Perry  still  bore  down  in  gallant  style,  and 
retained  his  fire,  receiving  that  of  the  enemy, 
until  the  British  began  to  apprehend,  that  his 
design  was  to  board.  At  five  minutes  before 
12,  M.,  Perry  opened  his  fire.  Not  intending 
to  lose  a  single  shot,  he  ordered  the  first  divi- 
sion only  of  his  broadside  to  be  fired.  He 
then  inquired  of  Lieutenant  Yarnall  if  the  shot 
of  his  carronades  toldf  Being  answered  in  the 
negative,  he  ordered  Sailing-Master  Taylor 


v-.i.~41 


36  LECTURE. 

to  direct  the  helm  put  up,  and  run  down,  and 
close  in  with  the  enemy.  He  ran  down,  till 
every  carronade  and  every  musket  might 
reach  its  mark.  Taylor  says  within  canister 
distance ;  Perry  says,  in  his  dispatch  and  ac- 
count of  the  battle,  at  half  canister  ;  and  Yar- 
nall,  who  was  ordered  to  note  if  the  shot  told^ 
says  at  half  musket  shot ;  50  yards,  150  feet ; 
not  quite  so  far  as  from  where  I  stand  to  the 
foot  of  the  bridge.  In  this  position,  at  this 
slaughtering  distance,  the  Lawrence  encoun- 
tered the  Detroit,  and  there  sustained  the 
conflict  with  her,  and  the  vessels  which  came 
to  her  aid,  for  two  and  one  half  hours.  The 
Ariel,  Lieutenant  Packett,  and  the  Scorpion, 
Sailing-Master  Champlin,  were  just  ahead, 
on  her  weather  bow  ;  and  the  Caledonia, 
Lieutenant  Turner,  just  astern,  on  her  lee- 
ward quarter,  during  almost  the  whole  ac- 
tion.* 

The  Niagara  was  astern  of  the  Lawrence, 
and  the  Caledonia  ab(  urn  of  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte in  the  line  of  approach,  when  the  action 

•  *See  Diagram,  No.  1,  in  the  Appendix. 


LECTURE. 


37 


commenced.  She,  at  first,  discharged  her 
first  division  ;  but  when  their  shot  fell  short 
of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  Captain  Elliot  did  not 
order  the  helm  put  up,  and  run  down  to  within 
half  cable's  length  of  his  adversary,  the  Queen 
Charlotte  ;  but  it  is  admitted,  by  him  in  his  book, 
that  he  directed  his  Lieutenant  to  cease  firing 
with  the  carronades,  and  fire  with  the  long  ticclves 
only.  The  Queen  Charlotte  had  20's,  to  the 
Niagara's  24  pound  carronades,  but  no  long 
guns  ;  and,  therefore,  as  she  could  neither  reach 
the  Niagara  with  her  carronades,  nor  run  up 
AGAINST  the  wind,  and  lay  her  along  side,  she 
packed  on  all  sail,  and  run  down  to  the  aid  of 
the  Detroit  and  laid  the  Lawrence  and  the 
Caledonia  along  side  at  half  past  12  o'clock, 
M.  For  the  Hunter  had  just  nriade  sail,  and 
run,  not  from  the  conflict  with  the  Caledonia, 
but  up  to  the  head  of  the  line,  to  aid  the  Lit- 
tle Belt,  against  the  Scorpion  and  the  Ariel. 

This  movement  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  is 
by  Captain  Elliot,  in  his  autobiography,  styled, 
her  making  sail,  and  runmng  away  from  the  Ni- 
agara ;  but  he  does  not  say  he  made  sail  and 
run  down  after  her,  as  he  might :   For  if  there 


1 


:M 


■Mi 

I! 


I 

III 


I  J  I 
•I 


38 


LECTURE. 


were  wind  enough  for  the  Queen  Charlotte  to 
run  away,  the* "  was  wind  enough  for  the  Ni- 
afj^arx  to  run  after  her.  He  admits,  in  that 
book,  that  instead  of  making  all  sail,  and  run- 
ning down  upon  liis  adversary,  the  Queen 
Charlotte,  as  he  had  been  ordered  to  do,  no 
less  than  three  times,  and  engaging  her  at 
half  cable's  length,  he  threw  his  topsail  to 
the  mast  and  hrailed  up  his  jib,  so  as  to  keep 
his  position  on  the  water  as  nearly  as  practi- 
cable. Every  nautical  man  will  tell  us  that 
this  position  of  the  sails  would  hold  nis  ship 
to  the  wind,  and  keep  her  in  her  then  present 
place  ;  so  that,  all  the  ships  engaged,  would 
be  sagging  slowly  ahead,  and  to  the  leeward ; 
until  the  Caledonia  and  the  Lawrence  were 
directly  between  the  Niagara  and  the  Detroit 
and  the  Queen  Charlotte.  If  he  fired  then,  it 
must  have  been  at  the  Chippewa  of  one  gun. 
For  the  Lady  Prevost  had  been  wounded  in 
the  rudder,  and  soon  fell  to  the  lee^vard  out 
of  the  reach  of  his  carronadcj  or  long  guns. 
If,  th'^n,  after  one  o'clock,  the  Niagara  fired 
at  the  Detroit  or  the  Queen  Charlotte,  it  must 


arlotte  to 

►r  the  Ni- 

I,  in  that 

and  rim- 

e  Queen 

to  do,  no 

ng  her  at 

topsail  to 

s  to  keep 

as  practi- 

11  us  that 

i  iiis  ship 

n  present 

;d,  would 

leeward ; 

ice  were 

e  Detroit 

i  then,  it 

one  gun. 

unded  in 

vard  out 

ng  guns. 

ara  fired 

!,  it  must 


1 


LECTURE.  39 

have  been  across  the  Lawrence  and  the  Cale- 
donia.* 

The  Somers,  of  two  S.'^'s,  and  the  Trippe  of 
one  32,  were  as  em  of  *he  Niagara  for  a  long 
time  ;  for  they  had  been  destined  to  support 
the  Niagara,  as  the  Ariel  and  the  Scorpion 
supported  the  Lawrence.  The  Tigress  an^ 
the  Pcicupine,  both  dull  sailers,  armed  with 
each  a  thirty-two,  were  still  more  astern  of 
the  Niagara.  These  four  gun-boats  were,  with 
their  heavy  ordnance,  firing  at  long  shots  on 
the  Chippewa  and  Ladj''  Prevost. 

The  Lawrence  for  two  and  a  half  hours  sus- 
tained the  fire  of  the  Detroit ;  and  for  two 
hours,  that  of  the  Detroit,  Queen  Charlotte, 
and  most  of  that  of  the  Hunter  ;  forty-four 
guns,  with  all  the  marines,  at  half  musket 
shot. 

The  British  Commodore  ordered  all  his  fire 
from  all  three  vessels  turned  on  the  Lawrence. 
For  here  he  believed  was  the  bone  and  mus- 
cle, and  here  he  knew  was  the  soul  and  spirit 
of  the  battle.     If  Perry  were  slain,  and  his 

*See  Diagram,  I\o.  2»  in  the  Appendix, 


41, "i' 

HI!  !i  I 


\    i 


It': 


it 


I  'i  I 


It 


\: 


40 


LECTURE. 


ship  captured,  the  smaller  vessels  would  fail 
of  course.  He  seems  not  to  have  regarded 
the  Niagara  as  then  in  the  action. 

Elliot,  in  his  autobiography,  declares  that 
it  was  evidently  the  plan  of  the  British  com- 
mander, to  disable  our  heaviest  ships,  in  de- 
tail ;  and  thus  to  insure  the  capture  of  the 
whole.  In  proof  of  this,  he  asserts,  and  this 
assertion  is  literally  true,  that  at  half  past  12, 
the  Queen  Charlotte  made  all  sail  and  left  the 
Niagara,  and  bore  down  and  attacked  and  di- 
rected all  her  fire  on  the  Lawrence. 

Why,  then,  in  the  name  of  bravery  and  fair 
companionship,  did  not  he,  with  the  same 
wind  and  enough  sail,  and  as  much  speed, 
bear  down  and  follow  her  ?  Why  did  he,  as 
he  admits  he  did,  fling  his  topsail  to  the  mast, 
furl  his  top-gallant  sails,  and  brail  up  his  jib  .'* 
Why  did  he,  for  two  hours  after  the  Queen 
Charlotte  left  him,  leave  the  Lawreno^  ex- 
l>osed  to  the  murderous  fire  of  forty-four  guns, 
supported  only  by  nine  in  the  Caledonia,  Ariel, 
and  Scorpion  ;  whilst  he  hadtwenty,  with  the 
wind  whistling  into  their  muzzles,  when  he 
might  have  been  pouring  the  round,  grape, 


LECTURE. 


41 


and  canister,  roaring  ovX  of  them,  against  the 
enemy,  at  half  musket  shot  ?  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  a  musket,  or  more  than  one  divi- 
sion of  one  broadside  of  the  carronades,  waa 
fired  on  board  the  Niagara,  or  that  this  was 
more  than  once  discharged.  It  does  not  satis- 
factorily appear  that  after  this  first  division, 
any  thing  was  fired  during  the  whole  two 
hours  and  a  half,  except  the  two  long  twelves, 
or  until  Perry  boarded  her  at  45  minutes  after 
^o'clock,  P.  M.  ^ 

On  board  the  Lawrence,  as  an  eye-witness 
has  stated,  the  most  perfect  order  prevailed 
during  the  whole  action.  There  was  no  noise, 
no  bustle,  no  confusion ;  as  fast  as  the  men 
were  wounded,  they  were  carried  below,  and 
others  stepped  into  tlieir  places.  The  dead 
lay  where  they  fell,  until  the  action  was  over. 
Commodore  Perry,  during  the  whole  time, 
says  this  eye  witness,  exhibited  a  cool,  ool- 
l^'ted,  and  dignified  bravery  ;  his  countenance 
./t  1,  the  whole  time,  as  composed  as  if  he  had 
It  en  engaged  in  ordinary  duty. 

Not  a  murmur,  not  a  complaint,  was  heard 

in  the  ship  ;  while  the  balls — canister,  grape, 
4 


,.'# 


I*., 


■i^ 


««i 


42 


LECTURE. 


and  bullets,  were  sweeping  over,  and  driving 
through  then,  like  a  storm  of  hail ;  the  slain 
and  the  wounded  falling  on  every  side  ;  and 
the  blood  gushing,  in  streams  over  the  decks, 
from  many  a  young  and  gallant  heart. 

There  was  one,  and  but  one  sentiment  of 
regret,  and  throughout  all  the  battle,  that  was 
discoverable.  It  was  expressed,  at  times,  in 
words,  to  the  commander,  by  Yarnall,  by 
Taylor,  by  Forrest.  It  v/as  uttered,  in  groans, 
by  tht  uided,  when  carried  below  ;  and 
breathed  o>  with  the  last  breath,  by  the  dying 
on  the  deck  ;  and  the  gallant  Laub,  the  brave 
and  accomplished  Brooks,  lifting  a  last  eye  to 
heaven,  and  sending  a  last  wish  to  home,  died 
with  this  bitter  regret  on  their  lips — "  Why, 
why  does  not  the  JS*iagara  come  down  and  help  us  /" 

Perry  could  say  nothing  to  the  severely 
wounded,  or  to  the  dead;  but  of  the  unhurt,  and 
those  who  though  wounded  kept,  or  returned 
to  the  deck,  he  was  the  life  and  soul.  Un- 
touched himself,  and,  covered,  as  he  must 
have  been  on  that  day,  by  a  shield,  impen- 
etrable, though  invisible  ;  he,  from  hour  to 
hour,  continued  to  encourage  and  cheer  them 


?*-j 


!f1 


v-V 


LECTURE. 


4S 


ail  lojight  on  J  till  their  consort  should  come  down 
and  take  her  part  in  the  ba'^le.  He,  himself, 
worked  with  his  own  hands  at  the  last  gun  ; 
and  when  that  was  disabled,  by  a  shot  of  the 
enemy,  he  had  but  himself,  his  little  brother, 
and  fourteen  men  alive,  and  unhurt  on  board. 
Then,  when  Lieutenant  Yarnall,  and  his  other 
officers,  Taylor,  and  Forrest,  again  uttered 
'their  astonishment,  that  the  Niagara  still 
hugged,  the  wind,  and  kept  at  a  distance,  freshened 
as  the  breeze  was,  by  such  a  bl.'ize  from  so 
many  guns,  for  two  and  a  half  hours  ;  "  Lower 
the  boat,"  he  exclaimed,  *'and  I  will  go  and 
bring  her  down."  The  boat— yes,while  the  ship 
was  a  mere  wreck,  in  that  storm  of  battle,  the 
boat  was  lowered  away  from  the  quarter  where 
she  had  been  hung  swinging  as  a  mark  for  ev- 
ery shot,  and  was  at  that  moment,  like  the 
commander,  untouched  and  perfectly  sound. 
He  jumped  in,  with  his  broad  pennant  under 
his  arm  ;  and  his  last  words  to  Lieutenant 
Yarnall  were,  "  I  leave  it  to  your  discretion  to 
strike,  or  not ;  but  the  American  colors  must 
not  be  pulied  dov^^n  over  my  head  to-day." 
He  jumped  into  the  boat,  with  eight  stout  sea- 


^w  «fi.'.Twr»imm^ 


^ 


< 


44  LECTURE. 

men  at  the  oars  ;  and  put  off  at  thirty  minutes 
after  two,  for  the  Niagara.  The  British  ships 
soon  saw,  and  directed  and  discharged  their 
whole  fire  at  him,  standing,  as  he  did,  erect 
in  the  stern  of  the  boat.  Nor  was  it  the  show- 
er of  balls,  grape,  canister,  and  bullets,  but 
the  earnest  request,  and  entreating  tears  of 
his  crew,  which  induced  him  to  sit  down. 
With  all  the  speed  that  these  eight  men,  at* 
the  oars,  could  give  to  the  boat,  and  she  must 
have  sprung  away  like  a  race  horse  trained 
to  the  course ;  how  long  was  it  before  she 
reached  the  larboard  side  of  the  Niagara,  and 
the  Commodore  sprung  up  her  gangway  ? 
What  a  transition,  from  the  shattered  decks 
and  slaughtered  crew  of  the  Lawrence,  to  a 
ship  so  fresh,  that  as  he  said,  "  when  he  found 
the  guns,  spars,  sails,  rigging,  all  sound,  and 
not  a  man  killed  on  board,  he  stepped  lightly 
on  the  quarter  deck."  Elliot  was,  at  his  own 
request,  sent  along  the  line  of  gun-boats,  at 
several  distances  astern,  to  urge  down  the 
Somers,  Tigress,  and  Porcupine. 

The  Trippe,  Lieutenant  Stevens,  had  be- 
fore pushed  down  to  the  support  of  the  Cale- 


:iii  '•■ 


LECTURE. 


45 


m 


donia.  The  Commodore's  flag  was  displayed  on 
the  Niagara,  and  the  signal  given  to  the  ves- 
sels astern,  for  close  action,  as  Perry  says,  at 
forty-five,  as  Yarnall  says,  at  forty-eight  min- 
utes after  two  o'clock. 

Soon  after  Perry  left  the  Lawrence,  she  fell 
astern  ;  and  Yarnall,  with  the  advice  of  the 
other  officers,  when  further  opposition  was  not 
jiracticable,  struck  the  colors.  While  these 
things  were  in  progress,  Lieutenant  Turner, 
before  lying  on  the  weather  quarter  of  the 
Detroit,  bore  down,  and  took  a  position  along 
side  of  that  vessel. 

Lieutenant  Stevens,  in  the  Trippe,  a  little 
sloop  of  one  long  thirty-two,  had  succeeded  to 
that  place,  so  long  held  by  Turner  in  the  Cal- 
edonia, on  the  weather  quarter  of  the  Detroit. 
These  gallant  young  men,  without  slackening 
their  fire,  had  exchanged  signals  for  boarding 
the  Detroit;  when  you  may  imagine  with  what 
delight  they  saw  the  gallant  Commodore  bear- 
ing down  in  the  Niagara,  under  a  press  of 
sail. 

He  broke  through  the  enemy's  line  ;  passed 

between  the  Hunter  and  Detroit,  at  half  pis- 
4* 


lii 


mh 


46  LECTURE. 

tol  shot,  thirty  feet,  from  each  ;  and  from  all 
his  guns  double  shotted  with  roujid,  grape,  or 
canister,  poured  his  broadsides  into  these 
devoted  vessels.  Rounding  to,  opposed  to 
the  tafTrail  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  then,  by 
her  bowsprit,  entangled  in  the  mizzen  rigging 
of  the  Detroit,  he  began  a  raking  fire,  from 
end  to  end  of  both  their  decks. 

The  Queen  Charlotte  in  this  situation,  and 
seeing  the  Somers,  then  commanded  by  Elliot, 
with  the  Tigress,  and  Porcupine,  pressing 
down  with  sweeps  and  sails,  struck  her  colors. 
The  call  being  made  to  the  Detroit,  she  gave 
up  the  contest.* 

The  Lady  Prevost  and  Hunter,  both  disa- 
bled, pulled  down  their  colors.  The  Little 
Belt,  at  the  head,  and  Chippewa  at  the  rear 
of  the  line,  made  all  sail  and  run ;  but  the 
Scorpion,  Lieutenant  Champlin,  and  Trippe, 
Lieutenant  Stevens,  pursued ;  and  after  a 
close  chase,  took  and  brought  them  back. 
The  victory  was  won ;  was  complete ;  not  a 
sail  of  the  enemy  escaped. 


*See  Diagram,  No.  3,  in  the  Appendix. 


'^r 


LECTURE. 


47 


The  echo  of  the  cannon,  and  of  the  triumph- 
ant shout,  died  away  on  the  lake  and  the 
shores.  The  winds  of  heaven  swept  the 
volumes  of  smoke  off  from  the  shattered  fleets. 
The  setting  sun  looked  back  on  the  decks  and 
the  waters,  crimsoned  with  the  blood  of  the 
valiant. 

A  feeling  of  awe  is  on  the  heart  of  every 
living  man,  who  comes  unhurt  out  of  a  tremen- 
dous battle.  For  a  time  every  human  voice 
was  silent.  All  paused ;  the  groans  of  the 
wounded  and  the  dying  only  were  heard. 
The  victors  were  too  proud  to  exult;  the  van- 
quished, too  brave  to  complain.  All  had,  that 
morning,  sent  a  seaman's  prayer  to  heaven 
for  success  in  the  same  language ;  and  after 
the  conflict,  they  met  on  the  same  decks 
where  they  had  fought ;  and  mingled  saluta- 
tions, each  with  the  other,  in  his  own  mother 
tongue.  All  united  in  the  care  of  the  wound- 
ed and  the  burial  of  the  dead;  and  these 
brave  officers,  American  and  British,  who  fell, 
cheering  their  seamen  on  to  mutual  conflict, 
were,  by  the  survivors,  laid  side  by  side  in 
their  graves,  on  the  shore  of  those  waters 


48 


LECTURE. 


where  they  had  fallen,  and  were  alike  hon- 
ored and  lamented  by  the  mingled  tears  of 
friends  and  foes,  and  the  united  music  and  can- 
non of  both  fleets. 

The  brave  are  always  merciful  and  compas- 
sionate ;  Commodore  Barclay  expressed  the 
warmest  gratification  at  Perry's  attention  to 
his  wounded  prisoners ;  said  he  had  earned 
by  it  for  himself  immortal  honor ;  and  after- 
wards, at  an  entertainment  and  ball  given  to 
him,  and  attended  by  the  bravery  and  beauty 
of  Canada,  he  gave  as  a  toast,  with  great  ap- 
plause ;  "  Commodore  Perry,  the  gallant  and 
generouo  enemy." 

After  this  victory,*  Commodore  Perry,  with 
the  fleet,  transported  General  Harrison  and 
his  army  over  the  lake  ;  joined  the  forces  as 
volunteer  aid  of  the  Commander  in  Chief; 
was  with  General  Cass,  as  his  other  aid,  at 
his  side  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  where 
the  whole  army  of  Proctor  was  either  cap- 
tured or  destroyed. 

This  victory,  the  fruit  of  that  on  Lake  Erie, 

♦See  Note  A. 


■*i'. 


?'.■  ,.',a.-i.'»iie"-"~^Tr-''~trT~>— 


LECTURE. 


49 


demolished  the  British  forces  in  Upper  Cana- 
da; dispersed  the  north-west  confederacy  of 
Indian  tribes  and  warriors  ;  who  immediately 
threw  themselves  on  the  mercy  of  the  United 
States ;  and  thus  secured  the  whole  frontier, 
from  Lake  Ontario  to  the  Mississippi. 

This  fleet  of  Erie  is  the  first  American  fleet, 
which,  in  line  of  battle,  encountered  an  ene- 
my. It  was  commanded,  as  the  first  conti- 
nental fleet  had  been,  by  a  Rhode-Island  man  ; 
and  to  a  great  extent,  built,  and  ofllcered,  and 
manned  by  Rhode-Island  men.  Will  the  peo- 
ple of  this  State  be  unmindful  of  the  reputation 
of  those  men ;  their  own  fellow-citizens,  who 
laid  the  foundation,  and  raised  that  superstruc,- 
ture,  which  was  by  them,  aided  by  others 
equally  brave,  so  ornamented  and  adorned,  by 
such  victories  and  such  national  benefits  9 

How  mortifying  to  the  patriot,  that,  after 
more  than  twenty  years,  such  a  mist  of  delu- 
sion should  by  any  cause,  be  spread  over  any 
part  of  the  American  people  ;  that  any  one 
man  could  be  found  to  doubt  and  question  the 
title  of  Oliver  Hazard  Perry  to  the  glory  of 
that  distinguished  naval  victory  !    Still  more 


0- 


^T^ 


i    ' 


• 


60  LECTURE. 

aatonisliing",  that  title  is  not  only  questioned, 
but  another  has  boldly  claimed  that  glory  for 
himself. 

If  yon  are  not  already  wearied  by  the  length 
of  this  narrative,  permit  me  to  state  two  or 
three  things,  which  are  either  admitted  by 
this  new  candidate  for  this  honor,  or  cannot 
be  controverted  by  him. 

At  the  close  of  the  battle,  Perry  set  up  no 
exclusive  claims  to  the  glory  of  the  victory.  He 
submitted  all,  with  unexampled  modesty,  to 
the  award  of  his  country.  , 

Look  at  his  despatches  ;  does  he  tell  what  / 
have  done  ?  To  General  Harrisonr— "  We  have 
met  the  enemy,  and  they  are  ottrs."  To  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy — "  It  has  pleased  the 
Almighty  to  give  to  the  arms  of  the  United 
States  a  signal  victory  over  their  enemies  on 
th'i  lake.  The  British  squadron  consisting  of 
two  ships,  two  brig&,  one  schooner,  and  one 
sloop,  have  this  moment  surrendered  to  the 
force  under  my  command,  after  a  sharp  con- 
flict." 

Nothing  can  be  so  conspicuous  as  the  mo- 
desty, unless  it  be  the  piety,  of  this  most  per- 


il:' 


LECTURE. 


51 


iVctof  all  naval  despatches.  How  could  he 
say  less  of  himself  .-*  The  victory  had  been 
given  by  Him  who  gives  all  things — had  been 
given,  not  to  him,  but  to  the  Amtrkan  arms. 
The  British  squadron  had  surrendered  to  the 
force  ;  what  force  ?  He  could  not  avoid  say- 
ing, to  the  force  under  my  command.  One 
epithet  only,  t^lls  the  nature  of  the  battle  ;  it 
was  a  sh-^rp  conflict.  He  puts  under  sail  none 
of  that  squadron  of  adjectives,  after  which,  a 
young  egotist  would  have  sent  his  fust  victory 
to  the  Naval  Department.  The  autobiogra- 
phy exemplifies  this  from  the  20th  to  the  23d 
page. 

Perry  not  only  did  not  wish  to  engross  the 
honor  to  himself,,  but  he  was  anxious  that  all 
should  share  it  with  him.  At  the  close  of  the 
battle,  every  voice  was  loud  in  praise  of  the 
first  in  command ;  every  tongue,  but  those  of 
his  own  vessel,  was  questioning,  or  reluct- 
antly restrained  from  questioning,  the  conduct 
of  the  second  in  command-  Those  who  had 
opportunities  to  write,  were,  in  tlieir  letters, 
expressing  their  censure  on  the  posiiion  held 
by  the  Niagara  during  the  battle. 


^.  *■ 


' 


T-tH-WWH^Pjil 


Ww-T^^ 


■vrw^y 


\f 


!| 


65 


LECTURE. 


The  moment  this  was  known  to  Perry,  he 
sent  Lieutenant  Turner  and  Mr.  Hambleton. 
one  to  the  fleet,  the  other  to  the  camp,  en- 
treating them  to  i^top.  "  Why,'  said  he, 
"  should  a  young  officer  be  ruined  ?  Why 
should  the  puHic  eye  look  on  any  part  of  the 
battle  with  disapprobation  ?  Honor  enough 
for  all  has  been  won  ;  and  I  am  desirous  that 
all  my  companions  in  arms  should  share  it 
with  me."  By  this  effort,  every  letter  not 
dispatched  already,  was  stopped.  One  only 
had  been  sent  away,  and  could  not  be  re- 
called. This  act  is  and  ever  will  be  as  hon- 
orable to  Pe"ry's  generosity,  as  the  victory 
was  to  his  courage. 

.  On  the  13th  of  September,  he  sent  a  secor«d 
despatch  to.the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  "  to 
give  him  some  of  the  particulars  of  the  battle." 
Here  he  saved  Elliot,  by  a  benevohnt  ambiguity. 
He  says  "  ai  half  past  two,  the  wind  spring.'ng  up, 
Captain  Elliot  was  ENABLED  to  bring  his 
vessel,  the  Niagara,  gallantly  into  close  ac- 
tion." He  was  ENABLED,  he  could  say ; 
he  (*Mld  not  say  he  DID  bring  the  Niag-ara 
into  close  action.    For  every  man  in  the  fleet 


f'f 


^' 


fn^ 


'IPWPIW.yiH'* 


LECTURE. 


53 


I 


knew  that  this  was  done  by  Perry  himsell*. 
The  public  might  infer,  that  Elliot,  when  he 
was  enabled  to  bring,  did  in  Jact^  bring  the  Ni- 
agaio.  gallantly  into  close  action  ;  and  Elliot 
was  willing  it  should  be  so  left  in  this  ambigu- 
ity. For  though  he  requested  Perry  to  place 
this  enabkd,  at  an  earlier  hour,  he  nevei'*  re- 
quested him  to  say  that  he  did  do  what  he 
was  enabled  to  do ;  that  is,  that  he  dia  come 
gallantly  into  close  action.  The  tiiiio  when 
he  was  so  enabled ^  was  referred  to  on<.'  of  his 
own  Lieutenants,  Edwards,  and  to  Liemenant 
T'urner  ;  but  they  agreed,  that  one  half  past 
two,  as  the  Commodore  had  stated  it,  was  the 
correct  time.  This  was  the  moment  when  Perry 
left  the  Lawrence  to  board  the  Niagar.i  ;  and 
this  eslnblishes  the  fact,  that  this  Coi.iinodore 
Elliot,  who  now  claims  the  honor  of  ihe  vic- 
tory, had  not,  at  one  half  after  two  ()\  !uck,  in 
the  afte^'UGon,  been  in  close  action. 

Some  other  admitted  facts,  place  llns  ques- 
tion still  further  beyond  doubt.  It  is  ji.imiited 
by  all  rliat  Commodore  Perry  left  lli!*  Law- 
rence at  half  past  two  o'clock,  P.  M  ;  iliat.he 
hoisted  the  sig'or/l,  on  boar  I  the  Ni-'r  va,  for 


■    ■  T  T    WV'     --' 


i  r 


ft4 


LECTURE. 


close  action,  to  the  gun  boats  astern  of  her, 
at  45,  as  he  says,  and  as  Yarnall  says,  at  48 
minutes  after  two.  He  could  not  have  been 
less  than  ten  minutes  passing  from  the  Law- 
rence to  the  Niagara,  or  more  than  three  in 
hoisting  the  signal.  How  far  could  eight  men 
send  that  light  barge  ovei*  the  water  in  ten 
minutes  ?  Some  oarsmea  tell  me  two  ;  some 
one  and  a  half,  but  none  less  than  one  mile. 
So  far  from  the  Lawrence,  and  a  little  farther, 
half  musket  shot,  from  the  enemy,  was  the 
Niagara  when  Perry  reached  her  deck.  He 
had  left  the  Lawrence  on  her  larboard  or  left 
hand  gangway,  when  she  was  directly  abeam 
of  the  Detroit ;  and  the  moment  that  the  Law- 
rence dropped  astern,  as  she  did  immediately 
on  his  leaving  her,  and  struck  shortly  after ; 
the  enemy  saw  him  in  his  boat,  and  turned 
their  fire  from  the  ship  to  him. 

It  is  admitted  that  he  rowed  round  under 
the  stern  of  the  Niagara  and  came  up  on  the 
windward,  then  the  larboard,  or  left  hand 
gangway.  The  wind  was  south-east.  Had 
the  Niagara  been  coming  down,  the  wind 
would  have  been  on  her  right  hand,  or  star- 


^ 


LECTURE. 


55 


board  side  ;  the  wind,  as  it  is  proved  by  Elliot 
himself,  was  on  the  larboard  or  left  hand  side. 

If  then  the  Niagara  was,  as  it  is  admitted, 
abeam  of  the  Detroit  and  Queen  Charlotte, 
though  she  was  enabled  to,  yet  she  had  not 
begun  to  come  gallantly  into  close  action. 

Another  admitted  fact  will  tell  where  El- 
liot was  when  the  Detroit  and  Queen  Char- 
lotte surrendered.  Wherever  the  Niagara  was, 
when  Perry  reached  her  ;  the  Somers,  the 
Tigress  and  the  Porcupine  were  in  succession 
and  in  a  line  a  long  distance  astern  of  her. 
This  is  proved  by  Elliot's  own  officers.  Elliot, 
to  bring  them  up,  left  the  Niagara  and  rowed 
down  the  whole  length  of  the  line,  or  until 
he  could  hail  the  last  boat ;  and  rowed  back 
and  boarded  the  Somers  ;  and  so  broucrht  the 
gun  boats  down  to  engage  in  the  action. 
Whatever  distance  these  vessels  M  dull  sail- 
ers, were  astern  of  the  Niagara,  Elliot  had  to 
row  twice  over  that  distance,  before  he  could 
get  back  to  the  point  where  he  left  Perry  in 
the  Niagara ;  then  in  two  or  three  minutes, 
starting  under  full  sail,  to  run  down  over  the 


II 


m 


fc 


wm^^^ 


56 


LECTURE. 


space  which  he  had  rowed  up  in  fiiteen  min- 
utes.* 

Let  these  facts  tell  their  own  story ;  and 
they  will  give  the  "whereabouts"  of  Captain 
Elliot,  when  the  action  terminated.  This  was 
in  fifteen  minutes,  as  Elliot  proves,  and  in 
twenty,  as  Yarnall  states,  after  Perry  board- 
ed the  Niagara. 

The  living  can  protect  their  own  charac- 
ters. Those  who  are  dead,  and  who  fell  in 
the  national  service,  have  left  their  fame,  per- 
haps the  only  inheritance  of  their  children,  to 
the  safe  keeping  of  their  country  ;  and  wo  be- 
tide a  people,  when  they  permit  the  sanctuary 
of  human  glory,  frail  and  perishable  as  it  is, 
to  be  profaned  and  plundered. 

It  was  sacrilege  among  the  ancients,  and 
deemed  abhorent  to  gods  and  men,  to  destroy, 
or  remove  a  stick  or  a  stone,  from  a  trophy 
erected,  by  a  conqueror,  on  a  battle  field,  or 
by  the  shore  where  a  naval  victory  had  been 
achieved. 


*Sce  Note  B. 


LECTURE. 


57 


Let  the  people  of  Rhode-Island  protect  with 

a  pious  diligence,  the  tombs  and  the  glory  of 

their  buried  patriots  and  heroes  ;  and  alike 

abhor  those  who  would  tarnish  the  one,  or 

demolish  the  other. 
6* 


■  H 


■M'^W-"W 


mmt 


; ! 


NOTES. 


,''ri 


NOTE  A. 

Although  every  effort  was  made  for  the  reh'ef  of  the 
wounded,  yet  there  was  much  unavoidable  delay  in 
giving  them  needful  attention ;  for  Dr.  Parsons,  now 
one  of  our  most  distinguished  medical  gentlemen,  then 
surgeon  of  the  Lawrence,  was  the  only  surgeon  able 
to  do  duty  in  the  American  squadron.  It  was  not, 
therefore,  until  forty-eight  hours  after  the  battle,  that  he 
could  attend  to  the  wounded  on  board  the  Niagara. 
Of  them,  two  only  told  him,  that  they  were  wounded 
before  Perry  boarded  that  vessel.  He  was  preserved 
in  that  service,  and  for  the  completion  of  it,  by  one  of 
the  wonderful  events  of  that  day.  While  he  was  stoop, 
ing  in  the  cock-pit,  diligently  dressing  the  wounded, 
,  hulling  the  ship  through  and  through,  passed 
9ve  his  head.  Had  he  been  standing  up,  nothing 
have  saved  him ;  and  the  wounded  in  the  fleet 


just 


60 


CONDITION  AND  POSITION 


would  have  been  left  without  relief,  and  the  country- 
sustained  a  loss  of  one  of  her  most  able  and  distin^ 
guished  men  in  the  healing  profession. 


NOTE  B. 

The  individuals,  and  those  too  in  command  and  so 
most  exposed,  are,  at  times,  wonderfully  preserved  in 
the  midst  of  slaughter  ;  yet  do  the  number  of  dead 
and  wounded,  give  fearful  and  solemn  demonstration 
of  the  toil,  peril,  and  exertions  of  those  who  led, 
cheered  and  urged  them  on  in  the  battle. 

On  board  the  Somers,  tho  gun  boat  which  Elliot 
was  bringing  down,  two  men  only  were  wounded, 
whether  before  or  after  his  command,  it  is  unknown ; 
none  were  killed,  on  board  the  Niagara,  when  he  com- 
manded  ;  and  it  is  proved  by  the  surgeon  who  dressed 
them,  that  two  only,  declared  themselves  to  have  been 
wounded  during  that  time. 

The  condition  of  that  vessel  and  her  crew,  when 
Elliot  left  her,  as  I  have  stated  it,  was  communicated 
to  me  by  a  gentleman,  who  received  it  from  Commo- 
dore Perry's  own  mouth.  He  related  the  fact,  that 
he  found  the  ship  perfectly  fresh  and  not  a  man  killed 
on  board,  as  a  matter  of  gratulation  ;  and  one  that 
gave  him  promise  of  a  certain  and  spoedy  victory. 


I 


OP  THE  NIAGARA.  61 

Elliot  produced  no  evidence  before  his  court  of  inquiry, 
sufficient  to  induce  a  belief  that  Perry  was  mistaken 
in  this  statement.  Lieutenant  Webster,  when  called 
up  a  second  time,  and  asked  by  Elliot  "what  damage 
the  Niagara  sustained  during  the  action,  not  while  he 
commanded ;  mentioned  sundry  wounds  in  spars  and 
rigging ;  and  concludes  by  saying  two  men  were 
killed  and  se^'Cial  wounded  in  his  division  before  he 
went  below. 

If  the  answer  be  as  extensive  as  the  question,  and 
cover  ^hc  whole  action,  it  perfectly  corroborates,  but 
docs  not  contradict  the  statement  of  Commodore  Perry. 

The  letter  of  Mr.  Barton,  nominal  surgeon  of  the 
Niagara,  written  at  Winchester,  in  Virginia,  on  the 
522d  of  April,  1821,  to  Commodore  Elliot,  and  sworn 
to  on  the  24th  of  that  month,  before  some  justice  of 
tho  peace  in  Frederick  county,  Virginia,  can  hardly 
be  regarded  as  evidence. 

This  man  was,  on  the  day  of  the  battle,  and  for  many 
days  after,  so  sick,  that  the  won.r.ded  men  on  board 
the  Niagara  were  not  dressed  by  him ;  nor,  until  the 
third  day,  when  Dr.  Parsons,  acting  as  sole  surgeon, 
took  care  of  those  bravo  fellows,  who  had  been  shot  to 
pieces  in  the  Niagara,  after  Perry  took  the  command. 
What  could  Barton,  sick  as  he  was,  and  stationed 
below,  know  of  the  battle  ?  Asa  specimen  of  his 
heursay    stories,  take  his  declaration,  in  that  letter ; 


: 


1 


62 


CONDITION  AND  POSITION 


■»• 


f 


that  five  were  killed  outright,  on  board  the  Niagara. 
If  he  knew  this  fact,  how  did  it  happen,  that  Captain 
Elliot  returned  to  Commodore  Perry,  the  names  of 
but  two,  Peter  Morels  seaman,  and  Isaac  Hardy,  ordi- 
nary seaman  ?  These  two  only  were  killed  on  board 
that  vessel ;  and  it  may  be  uncertain,  whether  before 
or  after  Elliot  left  the  ship.  That  two  only  were 
wounded  before  Perry  took  command  is  placed  beyond 
a  doubt  by  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Parsons, 

All  that  Barton  states,  he  had  heard  from  men  on 
board  with  Elliot ;  and  like  himself,  anxious  to  ex- 
cuse themselves  and  their  commander,  and  to  stand 
well  with  the  public. 

Admit  all  they  claim,  and  two  men  only,  foil  where 
Elliot  fought ;  while  onboard  the  Lawrence,  where 
Perry  was  engaged,  twenty-two  were  killed  and  six- 
ty-one wounded.  On  board  the  Niagara,  when  un. 
der  Perry's  command,  it  is  fully  believed  two  were 
killed,  and  unquestionably  twenty-two  were  wounded. 

No  ships  cp.n  be  in  close  action  for  two  hours  and  a 
half,  and  remain  so  sound  as  to  be  perfectly  managea- 
ble  in  spars,  rigging,  sails,  steerage,  and  battery  ;  and 
perfectly  fit  to  run  down  and  encounter  the  enemy  at 
any  chosen  distance. 

When  Perry  left  the  Lawrence,  she  was  utterly  un- 
manageable, and  could  not  move  a  sail,  or  fire  a  gun. 
The  Detroit,  which  had  been  engaged  with  her  and 


I 


OF  THE  NIAGARA. 


65 


I 


f, 


the  Caledonia,  was,  as  Commodore  Barclay  says,  "  a 
perfect  wreck,  and  the  Queen  Charlotte  in  a  condition 
but  little  better." 

What  was  the  condition  of  the  Niagara  when  Elliot 
left  her  ?  Let  the  service  which  she  immediately  per- 
formed under  tho  command  of  Perry,  give  the  answer. 
She  was  so  perfectly  fresh,  so  entirely  unhurt  in  steer- 
age, spars,  rigging,  sails,  and  battery,  that  without 
stopping  a  moment  to  repair,  he  instantly,  at  45,  or  at 
most,  48  minutes  after  2  o'clock,  made  signal  for  close 
action  to  the  vessels  astern  ;  and  oacking  on  all  sail 
bore  down  and  broke  through  the  enemy's  line. 

This  being  the  condition  of  the  Niagara  when  Elliot 
left  her,  why  should  we  call  witnesses  to  prove  that  she 
had  been,  during  the  battle,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  ene- 
my's fire  ?  For  if  every  man  on  board  were  to  swear 
that  she  had  been  yard  arm  and  yard  arm  with  the 
Queen  Charlotte,  for  two  hours  and  a  half,  not  a  man, 
womauj  or  child  on  earth,  would  believe  one  word  of 
the  story. 

No  ;  the  Niagara  was  perfectly /re*^,  and  hanging 
in  the  wind,  at  a  safe  distance^  wlien  Perry  boarded 
her,  at  45  minutes  after  2  o'clock.  With  such  a  ves- 
sel, with  none  killed  and  but  two  v.ounded,he  was  able 
to  make  sail,  bear  gallantly  down,  break  through  the 
enemy's  line,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  after  he  came  on 
board,  as  Elliot's  witnesses  testify,  or  in  twenty,  or 


m 


^■i 


:l 


64 


CONDITION  AND  POSITION 


twenty-fivc,  as  Yaniall  slJitos,  to  terminate  the  action 
by  a  signal  and  glorious  victory. 


•  NOTE  C. 

Lieutenant  Webster  Ciillcd  and  examined  under  oath 
by  Commodore  Elliot,  testifies,  that  when  ho  went  be- 
low,  the  gun  boats  were  a  long  way  astern  of  the  Ni- 
agara. No  evidence  is  brou;^iit  to  prove,  and  there  is 
no  reason  to  believe,  that  t!.ey  were  nearer  when  El- 
liot left  the  Niagara,  after  Perry  Lame  on  board. 

Indeed,  if  those  vessels  hod  been  near,  or  tho  near- 
est within  hailing  distance,  and  tho  oth.ors  no  further 
off  in  succession  down  the  lii^e.  the  call  to  close  np, 
would  have  been  sent  by  sound  of  trumpet.  The  fact 
of  Elliot's  goinf(  after  them,  proves  that  they  could  nr>t 
bo  expedited,  in  their  approach,  by  signal  or  trumpet. 

They  were  astern  of  the  Niagara,  and  in  the  same 
line  with  her ;  so  that  EHiot,  when  he  had  rowed  to 
the  most  distant,  and  then  back  to  the  iSomers,  was  no 
nearer  the  enemy  than  the  Niagara  was,  when  he  left 
her. 

Kow  long  was  Elliot  in  ri>wiin^  t'.vica  over  this  dis- 
tance ?  ir  it  were  but  oi;e  hah"  as  fur  a^^  the  Lawi'er:ce 
was  from  t!ie  Niagara,  \\'\'A:n  lY'riy  boarded  that  ves- 
sel, Elliot  must  have  bjen  riftoc^n  nanules  in  those  two 
movements.  Where  was  "Per;", ,  in  tho  Ninr^'ira,  dur- 
ing  that  time?     Let  it  be  told   by  .Midshipman  Mont- 


OF  THE  SOMERS. 


65 


goincry,  ono  of  Elliot's  own  witnesses.  ILj  says,  '*  llio 
Detroit  struck  in  fifteen  mitiutes  after  Perry  came  on 
board  the  Niagara ;  and  tlio  Queen  Charlotte  a  few 
minutes  after."  ^ 

If  this  bo  correct,  Elliot  had  tJiaf  instant  reached 
the  Somcrs.  ITc  proves,  that  when  he  reached  that 
vessel,  both  her  long  32's  were  shottod  with  balls  of 
that  weight.  These  he  ordered  drawn,  and  the  guns 
shotted  with  grape  and  canister.  Was  this  done  to 
save  the  32  lb.  balls,  as  the  24  lb.  carronade  balls  had 
been  saved,  because  they  were  too  distant  to  reach  the 
enemy  ?  Or,  was  it  the  fact,  that  he  then  saw  the 
colors  of  these  two  sliips  were  down  ;  and  that  while 
lie  was  pressing  up,  with  sweeps  and  sails,  into  the 
thickest  ofthe^ht,  after  it  was  all  over,  it  was  well  to 
have  the  rest  of  his  men  busy  in  unloading  and  loading 
the  guns  ? 

Had  the  Somcrs  been  within  point  blank  shot  when 
he  boarded  her,  the  quickest  way  to  have  cleared  his 
guns,  for  a  load  of  grape  and  canister,  would  have 
been  to  place  the  32  lb.  shot,  which  then  incumbered 
them,  between  wind  and  water  in  ;.ie  enemy's  broad- 
side. Two  such  balls,  directed  by  a  skilful  eye  over 
that  smooth  water,  might  have  finished  the  conflict,  if 
the  conflict  had  not  already  been  finished. 

In  a  late  publication,  purporting  to  be  a  Naval  His- 

tory,  it  is  stated  that  the  boat  service  performed  by 
6 


i 


^^ 


06 


Elliot's  boat  service. 


Elliot  in  the  battle,  was  as  perilous  as  that  performed 
by  '^erry.  Is  this  correct  ?  The  Law  rence  was  with- 
in half  musket  shot  of  the  enemy  when  Perry  left  her, 
and  the  Niagara  was  out  of  carronade  shot  when  he 
/cached  her.  The  whole  fire  of  the  enemy  was  poured 
in  upon  him  during  his  whole  passage  from  one  to  the 
other  vessel. 

Elliot,  when  he  left  the  Niagara  to  bring  up  the  ves- 
sels astern,  was  oat  of  sight  of  the  Detroit  and  Quee*:! 
Charlotte  j  and  from  that  time  until  he  returned  to  the 
Somers  and  boarded  her,  was  out  of  reach  of  all  their 
guns,  and  does  not  appear  to  have  been  noticed  by 
them.  The  writer,  who  could  compare  these  two  ser- 
vices together,  anJ  pronounce  them  equally  perilous, 
must  have  a  strange  obliquity  of  purpose,  or  of  under- 
standing. 


NOTE  D. 

It  is  in  proof  and  is  admitted  to  be  true,  that  Com- 
modore  Perry  rowed  round  the  stern  of  the  Nia'^pra 
and  came  upon  the  larboard  side.  It  is  then  true  that 
this  vessel  was  not  bearing  down  on  the  enemy,  for  had 
that  been  the  case,  the  boat's  crew  being  equally  ex- 
posed to  the  enemy's  shot  on  either  side  of  the  vessel, 
she  would  have  been  boarded,  on  the  starboard,  that 
being  the  side  first  rcacl^id  by  the  boat. 

It  is  also  admitted  that  the  Commodore  boarded  on 


POSITION  OP  THE  NIAGARA. 


67 


the  windward  side  of  the  Niagara ;  the  wind  must  then 
have  been  on  the  larboard  side,  for  on  that  side  he 
boarded.  Tiie  wind  was  southeast,  and  this  vessel 
must  have  been  heading  to  the  westward  or  the  wind 
could  not  have  been  on  her  larboard  quarter.  She 
was  abeam  of  the  Detroit,  and  had  she  been  running 
down  on  that  ship  her  course  must  have  been  north, 
and  the  wind,  at  southeast,  would  have  been  on  her 
starboard  quarter.  It  cannot,  then,  be  true  that  she 
had  begun  to  run  down  to  the  enemy's  line  when 
Commodore  Perry  boarded  her.  It  is  admitted  that 
the  Somers,  Tigress  and  Porcupine,  were  astern  of  the 
Niagara  when  boarded  by  the  Commodore ;  but  it  is 
also  admitted  that  these  vessels  were  all  heading  to  the 
westward  with  the  southeast  wind  on  their  larboard 
quarters.  The  Niagara  must  therefore  have  been 
heading  the  same  course  ;  or  the  other  vessels  could 
not  have  been  astern  of  her ;  for  had  she  at  that  time 
been  running  down  on  the  enemy  they  would  have 
been  on  her  beam  as  they  were  a  few  minutes  after, 
when  Perry  packed  on  all  sail  and  put  up  his  helm  to 
rush  down  and  break  through  the  enemy's  line. 

At  the  court  of  inquiry,  requested  by  Captain  Elliot, 
most  of  his  officers,  called  by  him  as  witnesses,  testify 
that  the  Niagara  was  in  close  action  during  the  whole 
battle.  Nevertheless,  Captain  Elliot  asks  of  several 
of  them  this  question,"  When  Captain  Perry  boarded  the 


68 


POSITION  OF  THE  NIAGARA. 


Niagara,  was  not  my  helm  put  up  and  the  vessel  bear- 
ing down  on  the  enemy  ?"  This  question  contradicts 
all  these  witnesses,  and  adnnits  that  when  Captain  Perry 
boarded  the  Niagara,  at  45  minutes  past  two  o'clock 
she  was  not  in  close  action  ;  and  all  the  witnesses  who 
say  "  yes"  to  this  question  contradict  what  they  had 
said  before,  viz.,  that  the  Niagara  was  in  close  action 
when  boarded  by  the  Commodore,  while  all  the  forego- 
ing  admitted  facts,  viz.  the  southeast  wind  on  the  larboard 
quarter,  the  other  vessels  astern,  the  rowing  round 
the  stern  and  boarding  of  the  Commodore  on  the  lar- 
board  side  of  the  Niagara,  prove  beyond  question,  that 
the  helm  was  not  put  up  and  thai  she  had  not  then 

len  boarded 


begun  to  run  c 
Captain  Perry. 


lemy, 


by 


APPENDIX. 


DIAGRAM,  NO.  1. 


'r- 


DIAGRAMS. 


71 


EXPLANATION  OF  DIAGRAM,  NO.  1. 
This  Diagram  represents  the  position  of  the  two 
fleets  at  the  commencement  of  the  action.     The  arrow 
indicates  the  course  of  the  wind,  which  was  from  the 
southeast.     The  fleets  were  headed  westward. 

AMERICAN    SQUADRON. 

1 .  The  schooner  Scorpion,  SaiHng  Master  Champhn, 

of  two  guns,  32  poundervS. 

2.  The  schr.Ariel,  Lieut.Packett,  4  guns,18's  and  24's. 

3.  The  Lawrence,  Captain  Porrj',  with  twenty  guns, 

two  long  12s  and  eighteen  24s. 

4.  The  Caledonia,  Lieutenant  Turner,  with  three  guns, 

24  and  32  pounders. 

5.  The  Niagara,  Captain  Elliott,  with  the  same  arma- 

mont  as  the  Lawrence. 

6.  The  schooner  Somers,  Sailing-Master  Almy,  with 

two  32  pounders. 

7.  The  schooner  Porcupine,  Midshipman  Smith,  with 

one  32  pounder. 

8.  The  Tigress,  Lieut.  Conklin,  with  one  32  pound  gun. 

9.  The  sloop  Trippe,   Lieutenant   Stevens,  with  one 

32  pound  gun. 

BRITISH    SQUADRON. 

a.  Sloop  Little  Belt,  of  three  guns. 

b.  The  ship  Detroit,  with  nineteen  guns. 

c.  The  brig  Hunter,  with  ten  guns. 

d.  The  ship  Queen  Charlotte,  with  seventeen  guns. 
€.  The  schooner  Lady  Prevost,  with  thirteen  guns. 

/.  The  schr.  Chippewa,  with  one  gun  and  two  swivels. 


•■*? 


72 


DIAGRAMS. 


EXPLANATION  OF  DIAGRAM.  NO.  2. 

This  Diagram  represents  the  position  of  each  ship 
at  the  moment  when  Perry  left  the  Lawrence,  in  his 
boat,  for  the  Niagara. 

1  and  2,  are  the  Scorpion  of  two  guns,  and  Ariel  of 
four  guns,  contending  with  the  Little  Belt  of  three 
guns  and  the  Hunter  of  ten  guns.  The  Hunter, 
early  in  the  action,  had  left  her  position  in  the 
line,  between  the  Detroit  and  Queen  Cliarlotte,  and 
pressed  forward  to  the  support  of  the  Little  Belt. 

3.  The  position  of  the  Lawrence  at  the  moment  when 

Perry  left  her,  in  her  disabled  state,  for  the  Niag. 
ara.  The  former  lay  an  unmanageable  wreck, 
and  as  ihe  fleet  moved  slowly  forward,  during 
the  action  under  easy  sail,  she  dropped  to  wind- 
ward,  and  at  the  close  of  the  engagement,  was 
in  the  position  in  which  she  is  represented  in  Dia- 
gram No.  3. 

4.  The  Caledonia  of  four  guns,  which  had  pressed  for. 

ward  to  the  aid  of  the  Lawrence,  in  her  unequal 
contest  with  the  Detroit  and  Queen  Charlotte. 

5.  The  Niagara  at  the  moment  when  Perry  left  the 

Lawrence  to  board  her.  The  dotted  line  from  6 
to  5,  will  show  the  course  of  her  steerage  from 

the  time  she  left  her  place  in  the  line,  till  the  com. 
mand  of  her  was  assumed  by  Perry.  The  dotted 
line  from  her  bow,  through  the  line  of  the  British 
fleet,  will  show  her  course  after  Elliot  left  her. 

6^  The  Somers,  of  which  Captain  Elliot  took  the  com* 


DIAGRAM,  NO.  2. 


DIAGRAMS; 


15 


mand  toward  the  close  of  the  action,  after  leaving 
the  Niagara  and  rowing  down  to  the  Trippe. 

7,  8  and  9.  The  Porcupine,  Tigress  and  Trippe. 

The  dotted  line  from  5  to  9  and  from  9  to  6,  repre- 
sents the  route  of  Captain  Elliot  in  his  boat,  after 
he  left  the  Niagara  to  go  down  the  lino  and 
bring  up  the  small  vessels  to  tho  windward. 
He  passed  down  the  line  to  the  Trippe,  thence 
along  the  line  of  schooners  to  the  Somers,  of  which 
he  took  the  command  and  brought  her  into  action 
at  near  the  close  of  the  battle. 

The  dotted  line  from  3  to  5,  exhibits  the  direction  of 
Captain  Perry's  boat  in  passing  from  the  Law- 
rence to  the  Niagara.  As  the  Lawrence  fell  to 
the  rear  immediately  after  he  left  her,  his  boat 
was  exposed  to  the  full  broadside  of  the  enemy. 

The  other  dotted  line  will  exhibit  the  course  of  the  Ni- 
agara while  under  the  command  of  Elliot,  and  af- 
terwards under  that  of  Perry,  as  explained  above. 

BRITISH  FLEET. 

a.  The  Little  Belt. 

b.  The  Detroit. 

c.  The  Hunter,  which  had  left  her  place  in  line,  astern 

of  the  Detroit,  and  took  station  in  advance  of  her. 

d.  The  Queen  Charlotte,  which  had  passed  forward 

and  united  her  force  with  the  Detroit,  for  the  de. 
struction  of  the  Lawrence,  after  she  discovered 
the  Niagara  had  avoided  an  encounter  with  her. 

e.  The  Lady  Prevost,  which   had  been  injured  in  her 

rudder  and  fallen  out  of  the  line. 
/.  The  Chippewa. 


♦ 


76 


DIAGRAMS. 


EXPLANATION  OF  DIAGRAM,  NO.  3. 

This  Diagram  represents  the  position  of  the  vessels 
of  both  fleets  at  near  the  close  of  the  action,  while 
Perry,  in  the  Niagara,  was  pressing  through  the  ene- 
my's line,  pouring  one  broadside  into  the  Hunter,  on 
his  larb  ?.i(\  side,  and  the  other  into  the  Detroit  and 
Queen  Charlotte,  from  the  starboard  guns. 

AMERICAN    FLEET. 

1  and  2.  Tlie  Scorpion  v.ud   Ariel,    in   the   positions 
which  they  had  maintained  throughout  the  action. 

3.  The  Lawrence  which  hud  dropped  to  the  windward, 

after  Perry  left  her. 

4.  The  Caledonia  which   had  pressed    forward   and 

taken  the  place  of  the  Lawrence,  after  the  latter 
had  fallen  out  of  tiie  battle. 

5.  The  Niagara,  under  the  command  of  Perry,  bearing 

down  ti rough  the  enemy's  line,  and  in  this  posi- 
tion, with  all  her  guns  double  shotted,  she  raked 
the  Detroit,  Queen  Charlotte  and  Lady  Prevost 
with  her  starboard  guns,  and  brought  down  the 
flags  of  the  two  ships  ;  and  with  her  larboard  guns 
silenced  the  Hunter.  She  then  rounded  to,  and 
silenced  the  Lady  Prevost,  and  thus  terminated 
the  conflict. 

6.  The  Somers,  under   the  command  of  Elliot,  press- 

ing up  to  close  quarters,   at  near*  the  termination 
of  the  action. 

7  and  8.  The  Porcupine  and  Tigress,  which  were  un- 
able  to  get  into  action. 


VTl 


DIAGRAMS. 


DIAGRAM,  NO.  3. 


77 


DIAGRAMS. 


79 


0.  The  Trippo,  which  had  gallantly  pushed  forward 
with  her  single  32  pounder,  to  the  support  of  the 
Caledonia,  aflcr  the  latter  had  takett  the  place  of 
the  Lawrence. 

The  dotted  line  indicates  the  course  of  the  Niagara, 
under  the  command  of  Perry.  Th«  wind  re- 
mained  in  the  same  quarter  as  at  the  commemce- 
ment  of  the  action. 

BRITISH  FLEET. 

a.  The  Little  Belt,  which,  after  the  Hunter  had  struck, 
attempted  to  escape,  but  was  pursued  and  taken 
by  the  Scorpion,  Lieutenant jGhampI in. 

h.  The  Detroit  attempting  to  wear,  to  avoid  the  Nia- 
gara's  raking  broadside,  and  by  that  movement 
beca:iie  entangled  with  the  Queen  Charlotte. 

c.  The  Hunter,  which  surrendered  after  receiving  the 

raking  fire  of  the  Niagara,  as  she  passed  her. 

d.  The  Queen  Charlotte  afoul  of  the  Detroit.     In  this 

situation  both  ships  surrendered. 

f.  The  Chippewa,  which  after  the  surrender  of  the  oth- 
er  vessels,  crowded  all  sail  and  fled,  but  was  pur- 
sued and  captured. 


I  ^ 


mm 


86 


perry's  official  account. 


AMERICAN  OFFICIAL  ACCOUNT. 
Copy  of  a  letter  from  Commodore  Perry  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy. 

United  States  schooner  A  riel,  Put-in-Bay,  > 
13/A  September,  1813.  5 

Sir — In  my  last  I  informed  you,  that  we  had  captured 
the  enemy's  fleet  on  this  lake.  I  have  now  the  honor 
to  give  3'ou  the  most  important  particulars  of  the  ac 
tion.  On  the  morning  of  the  10th  inst.  at  sunrise,  they 
were  discovered  from  Put-in-Bay,  where  I  lay  at  anchor 
with  the  squadron  under  my  command.  We  got  under 
way,  the  wind  light  at  S.  W.  and  stood  for  them.  At 
10  A.  M.  the  wind  hauled  to  S.  E.  and  brought  us  to 
windward  ;  formed  the  line  and  brought  up.  At  15 
minutes  before  12,  the  enemy  commenced  firing  ;  at 
5  minntes  before  12,  the  action  oommonced  on  our 
part.  Finding  their  fire  very  destructive,  owing  to 
their  long  guns,  and  its  being  mostly  directed  to  the 
Lawrence,  I  made  sail,  and  directed  the  other  vessels 
to  follow,  for  the  purpose  of  closing  with  the  enemy. 
Every  braco  and  bow  line  being  shot  away,  she  be- 
came  unmanageable,  notwithstanding  the  groat  exer- 
tions of  the  Sailing  Master.  In  this  situation  she  sus- 
tained  the  action  upwards  of  two  hours,  within  canister 
shot  distance,  until  every  gun  was  rendered  useless, 
and  a  greater  part  of  the  crew  cither  killed  or  wounded. 
Finding  she  could  no  longer  annoy  the  enemy,  I  loft 
hci  in  charge  of  Lt.  Yarnall,  who,  I  was  convinced, 
from  the  bravery  already  displayed  by  him,  would  do 


% 


A^'- 


t«j 


perry's  official  account. 


81 


I 


what  would  comport  with  the  honor  of  the  flag.  At 
half  past  2,  the  wind  springing  up,  Captain  Elliot  was 
enabled  to  bring  his  vessel,  the  Niagara,  gallantly  into 
close  action  ;  I  immediately  went  on  board  of  her, 
when  he  anticipated  my  wish  by  volunteering  to  bring 
the  schooners,  which  had  been  kept  astern  by  the  light- 
ness of  the  wind,  into  close  action.  It  was  with  un- 
speakable  pain  that  I  saw,  soon  after  I  got  on  board 
the  Niagara,  the  flag  of  the  Lawrence  come  down,  al- 
though I  was  perfectly  sensible  that  she  had  been  de- 
fended  to  the  last,  and  that  to  have  continued  to  make 
a  show  of  resistance  would  have  been  a  wanton  sacri- 
fice of  the  remains  of  her  brave  crew.  But  the  enemy 
was  not  able  to  take  possession  of  her,  and  circum- 
stances soon  permitted  her  flag  again  to  be  hoisted. 
At  45  minutes  past  two,  the  signal  was  made  for  "  close 
action."  The  Niagara  being  very  little  injured,  I  de- 
termined to  pass  through  the  enemy's  line,  bore  up  and 
passed  ahead  of  their  two  ships  and  a  brig,  giving  a 
raking  fire  to  them  from  the  starboard  guns,  and  to  a 
large  schooner  and  sloop,  from  tlie  larboard  side,  at  half 
pistol  shot  distance.  The  smaller  vessels  at  tliis  time 
having  got  within  grape  and  canister  distance,  under 
the  direction  of  Captain  Elliot,  and  keeping  up  a  well 
directed  fire,  the  two  ships,  a  brig,  and  a  schooner,  sur- 
rendered, a  schooner  and  sloop  making  a  vain  attempt 
to  escape. 

Those  ofiicers  and  men  who  were  immediately  under 
my  observation  evinced  the  greatest  gallantry,  and  I 
have  no  doubt  that  all  others  conducted  themselves  as 
became  American  officers  and  seamen.     Lieutenant 


ll 


8i 


perry's  official  account. 


1 '  ' 


Yarnall,  first  of  the  Lawrence,  although  several  times 
wounded,  refused  to  quit  the  deck.  Midshipman  For- 
rest,  (doing  duty  as  Lieutenant,)  and  SaiHng-Master 
Taylor,  were  of  great  assistance  to  me.  I  have  great 
pain  in  stating  to  you  the  death  of  Lieutenant  Brooks, 
of  the  marines,  and  Midshipman  Laub,  both  of  the 
Lawrence,  and  Midshipman  John  Clark,  of  the  Scor« 
pion  ;  they  were  valuable  officers.  Mr.  Hambleton, 
Purser,  who  volunteered  his  services  on  deck,  was  se- 
verely wounded  late  in  the  action.  Midshipman  Clax- 
ton  and  Swartwout,  of  the  Lawrence,  were  severely 
wounded.  On  board  the  Niagara,  Lieutenants  Smith 
and  Edwards,  and  Midshipman  Webster,  (doing  duty 
as  Sailing-Master,)  behaved  in  a  very  handsome  man- 
ner. Captain  Brevoort,  of  the  army,  who  acted  as  a 
volunteer  in  the  capacity  of  a  marine  officer  on  board 
that  vessel,  is  an  excellent  and  brave  officer,  and  with 
his  musketry,  did  great  execution.  Lieutenant  Turner, 
commanding  the  Caledonia,  brought  that  vessel  into 
action  in  the  most  able  manner,  and  is  an  officer,  that 
in  all  situations  may  be  relied  upon.  The  Ariel,  Lieu- 
tenant Packett,  and  Scorpion,  Sailing-Master  Champlin, 
were  enabled  to  get  early  into  the  action,  and  were  of 
great  service.  Captain  Elliot  speaks  in  the  highest 
terms  of  Mr.  Magrath,  Purser,  who  had  been  de- 
spatched in  a  boat  on  service,  previous  to  my  getting 
on  board  the  Niagara ;  and,  being  a  seaman,  since 
the  action  has  rendered  essential  service  in  taking 
charge  of  one  of  the  prizes.  Of  Captain  Elliot,  already 
so  well  known  to  the  government,  it  would  be  almost 
superfluous  to  speak.     In  this  action  he  evinced  his 


LOG-BOOK  OP  THE  LAWRENCE. 


83 


% 


\iliaractcristic  bravery  and  judgment,  and  since  the 
close  of  the  action,  has  given  nne  the  most  able  and 
essential  assistance. 

I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  you  a  return  of  the 
killed  and  wounded,  together  with  a  statement  of  the 
relative  force  of  the  squadrons.  The  Captain  (md 
first  Lieutenant  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  first 
Lieutenant  of  the  Detroit,  were  killed.  Captain  Bar- 
clay, senior  officer,  and  the  commander  of  the  Lady 
Prevost,  severely  wounded.  Their  loss  in  killed  and 
wounded,  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  ascertain  ;  it 
must,  however,  have  been  very  great. 

Very  respectfully,  I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

*  O.  H.  PERRY. 

The  Hon.  Wm.  Jones, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


11 


EXTRACT    FROM  THE  LOG-BOOK  OF    THE  IJ  WKEXCE. 

The  following  document,  whicli  has  not  before  bcea 
presented  to  the  public,  is  an  important  piece  of  testi- 
mony in  the  proof  that  the  Niagara  was  kept  out  of  the 
action  till  boardea  by  Perry.  It  is  an  attested  copy  of 
the  log-book  of  the  Lawrence,  for  the  lOth  of  Septem- 
ber, 1813.  The  record  was  made  witlii.i  twenty-four 
iwjurs  after  the  action — and  before  the  unwarranted 
pjsstensions  of  Elliot  were  dreamed  of — by  the  Sailing 
Master,  Taylor,  whose  official  duty  it  was  to  keep  a 
register  of  the  important  events  of  the  day,  for  preser- 
vntion.     The  los'  contained  onl  v  what  were  well  known 


' 


84 


LOG-BOOK  OF  THE  LAWRENCE. 


and  admitted  facts  at  the  time  on  board  the  ship  ;  it 
was  the  public  record  of  the  ship,  open  to  the  vievv  of 
all,  and  undisputed  by  any  one. 

The  log-book  disappeared  soon  after  Perry  left  the 
fleet  and  the  command  of  it  was  assumed  by  Elliot, 
and  has  not  since  been  recovered.  The  following 
transcript  of  it  was  made  by  an  officer  of  the  Lawrence 
into  his  own  private  diary,  on  the  day  afler  the  battle, 
and  it  is  from  that  source  that  we  have  derived  it. 

"  Put-in-Bay,  at  5  o'clock,  A.  M,  discovered  the 
enemy's  squadron  bearing  N.  W.,  wind  S.  W.  ;  at 
7  could  see  all  the  vessels,  two  ships,  two  brigs,  one* 
schooner  and  one  sloop.  At  10,  called  all  hands  to 
quarters.  At  a  quarter  before  meridian  the  enemy 
commenced  the  action  at  one  mile  distant.  In  half  an 
hour  we  came  within  musket  shot  of  the  enemy's  new 
ship  Detroit.  At  this  time  they  opened  a  most  destruc- 
tive fire  on  the  Lawrence  from  the  whole  squadron.  At 
half  past  one,  so  entirely  disabled  we  could  work  the 
brig  no  longer.  At  two  P.  M.  most  of  the  guns  were 
dismounted,  br -^chings  gone,  and  carriages  knocked 
to  pieces.  Capt.  .''erry  hauled  down  the  fighting  flag, 
which  bore  this  motto, "  Do  n't  give  up  the  ship,"  and  re- 
paired  on  board  of  the  Niagara,  and  then  raised  it  again. 
In  ten  minutes  after,  we  struck  to  the  enemy.,  Capt. 
Perry  made  all  sail  with  the  Niagara,  which  hitherto 
had  kept  out  of  the  action,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  passed 
in  among  the  British  squadron,  having  the  Detroit, 
Queen  Charlotte  and  Lady  Prevost  on  the  starboard 


0 


*Onc  of  the  brigs  was  an  hermaphrodite,  and  sometimes 
was  called  a  schooner. 


,.  f  . 


BRITISH  OFFICIAL  ACCOUJ^T. 


85 


side,  and  the  Hunter  on  the  larboard  sirlc,  and  silenced 
them  all  ;  and  ten  minutes  before  three,  they  hauled 
down  their  colors.  Two  small  vessels  attempted  to 
escape  but  being  overhauled,  struck  a  few  minutes 
after  three."  Then  follows  a  list  of  the  killed  and 
wounded  on  board  the  Lawrence. 


BRITISH  OFFICIAL  ACCOUNT. 

Letter  of  Captain  Barclay. 

His  Majesty'i  late  ship  Detroit,  Pul-in-Bay. 
Lake  Eric   tSiptember  VZtlt. 

Sir — The  last  letter  1  had  the  honor  of  writing  to 
you,  dated  the  6th  instant,  informed  you,  that  unless 
certain  intimation  was  received  of  more  seamen  being 
on  their  way  to  Amherstburg,  I  should  be  obliged  to 
sail  with  the  squadron,  deplorably  manned  as  it  was, 
to  fight  tbo  r  ny  (who  blockaded  the  port,)  to  ena- 
ble  us  to  get  s^.^-plies  of  provisions  and  stores  of  every 
(!csciiption  ;  so  perfectly  destitute  of  provisions  was 
the  port,  that  tiicre  was  not  a  day's  flour  in  sto  o,  and 
the  crews  of  the  squadron  under  my  command  were 
on  half  allowance  of  many  things,  ana  when  that  was 
done,  there  was  no  more.  Such  were  the  motives 
which  induced  Major-General  Proctor  (whom  by  your 
instructions  I  was  directed  to  consult,  and  whose  wishes 
I  was  enjoined  to  execute,  as  far  as  related  to  the 
good  oi"  the  country)  to  concur  in  the  necessity  of  a 
battle  being  risked,  under  the  many  disadvantages 
vhich  I  labored,  and  it  now  remains  for  me,  the  most 
melancholy  task,  to  relate  to  you  the  unfurtunate  issue 


9v 


BRITISH  OFFICIAL  ACCOUNT. 


of  that  battle,  as  well  as  the  many  untoward  circum- 
stances  that  led  to  that  event.  No  intelligence  of 
seamen  having  arrived,  I  sailed  on  the  9th  instant, 
fully  expecting  to  meet  the  enemy  next  morning,  as 
they  had  been  scon  among  the  islands ;  nor  was  I 
mistaken.  Soon  after  day  light  they  were  seen  in 
motion  in  Put-in-Bay,  the  wind  then  at  south-west  and 
light,  giving  us  the  weather  gage,  1  bore  up  with  them, 
in  hopes  of  bringing  them  to  action  among  the  islands, 
but  that  intention  was  soon  frustrated,  by  the  wind 
suddenly  shifting  to  the  south-east,  which  brought  the 
enemy  directly  to  windward.  The  line  was  formed 
according  to  a  given  plan,  so  that  each  ship  might  be 
supported  against  the  superior  force  of  the  two  brigs 
opposed  to  them.  About  ten,  the  enemy  had  cleared 
the  islands  and  invncdiately  bore  up,  under  easy  sail, 
in  a  line  abreast,  each  brig  being  also  support'^d  by  the 
small  vessels.  At  a  quarter  before  12,  I  commenced 
the  action  by  a  few  long  guns  ;  about  a  quarter  past, 
the  American  Commodore,  also  supported  by  two 
schooners,  one  carrying  four  long  12  pounders,  the 
other  a  long  32  and  24  pounder,  came  close  to  action 
with  the  Detroit ;  the  other  brig  of  the  enemy,  appa- 
rently destined  to  engage  the  Queen  Charlotte,  sup- 
ported  in  like  manner  by  two  schooners,  kept  so  far 
to  windward  as  to  render  the  Queen  Charlotte's  20 
pounder  carronades  useless,  while  she  loas,  with  the 
Lady  Prevost,  exposed  to  the  heavy  and  destructive 
fire  of  the  Caledonia,  and  four  other  schooners,  armed 
with  heavy  and  long  guns,  like  those  I  have  already 
described.     Too  soon,  alas !    was  I  deprived  of  the 


BRITISH  OFFICIAL  ACCOUNT. 


87 


services  of  the  noblo  and  intrepid  Captain  Finnts,  who 
soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  action  fell,  and 
with  him  fell  my  greatest  support ;  soon  after,  Lieu- 
tenant  Stokes,  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  was  struck 
senseless  by  a  splinter,  which  deprived  tho  country  of 
his  services  at  this  very  critical  period.  As  I  per- 
ceived  the  Detroit  had  enough  to  contend  with,  without 
the  prospect  of  a  fresh  brig,  provincial  Lieutenant  Ir- 
vine,  who  then  had  charge  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  be- 
haved with  great  courage,  but  his  experience  was  much 
too  limited  to  supply  the  place  of  such  an  officer  as 
Captain  Finnis,  hence  she  proved  of  far  less  assistance 
than  I  expected. 

The  action  continued  with  great  fury  until  half  past 
two,  when  I  perceived  my  opponent  drop  astern,  and 
a  boat  passing  from  him  to  the  Niagara,  {which  vessel 
was  at  this  time  perfectly  fresh,)  the  American  Commo- 
dore seeing,  that  as  yet  the  day  was  against  him  (his 
vessel  having  struck  soon  after  he  left  her)  and  also 
the  very  defenceless  state  of  the  Detroit,  which  ship 
was  now  a  perfect  wreck,  principally  from  the  raking 
fire  of  the  gun  boats,  and  also  that  the  Queen  Charlotte 
was  in  such  a  situation,  that  I  could  receive  very  little 
assistance  from  her,  and  the  Lady  Prevost  being  at 
this  time  too  far  to  leeward,  from  her  rudder  being  in- 
jured,  made  a  noble,  and  alas  !  too  successful  an  effort 
to  regain  it,  for  he  bore  up,  and  supported  by  his  small 
vessels,  passed  within  pistol  shot,  and  took  a  raking 
position  on  our  bow,  nor  could  I  prevent  it,  as  the  un- 
fortunate  situation  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  prevented 
us  from  wearing ;  in  attewipting  it  we  fell  on  board  her; 


mmmmmm 


m 


BRITISH  OFFICIAL  ACCOUNT. 


my  gallant  first  Lieutenant,  Garland,  was  now  mortally 
wounded,  and  myself  so  severely  that  I  was  obliged  to 
quit  the  deck.  Manned  as  the  squadron  was,  with  not 
more  than  50  British  seamen,  the  rest  a  mixed  crew 
of  Canadians  and  soldiers,  and  who  were  totally  unac- 
quainted with  such  a  service,  rendered  the  loss  of  offi- 
cers more  sensibly  felt,  and  never  in  any  action  was 
the  loss  more  severe,  every  officer  commanding  vessels, 
and  their  seconds,  was  either  kiHed  or  wounded  so  se- 
verely, as  to  be  unable  to  keep  the  deck.  Lieutenant 
Buchan,  in  the  Lady  Prevost,  behaved  most  nobly,  and 
did  every  thing  that  a  brave  and  experienced  officer 
could  do  in  a  vessel  armed  with  12  pound  carronades, 
against  vessels  carrying  long  guns.  I  regret  to  state 
that  he  was  severely  wounded.  Lieutenant  Bignal,  of 
the  Dover,  commanding  the  Hunter,  displayed  the 
greatest  intrepidity ;  but  his  guns  being  small  (two 
four  and  six  pounders)  he  could  be  of  much  less  service 
than  he  wished.  Every  officer  in  the  Detroit  behaved 
in  the  most  exemplary  manner.  Lieutenant  Inglis 
showed  such  calm  intrepidity,  that  I  was  fully  con- 
vinced  that,  on  leaving  the  deck,  I  left  the  ship  in  ex- 
cellent hands ;  and  for  an  account  of  the  battle  after 
that,  I  refer  you  to  his  letter,  which  he  wrote  me  for 
your  information. — Mr.  Hoffineinster,  purser  of  the 
Detroit,  nobly  volunteered  his  services  on  the  deck, 
and  behaved  in  a  manner  that  reflects  the  highest  hon- 
or on  him.  I  regret  to  add  that  he  is  very  severely 
wounded  in  the  knee.  Provincial  Lieutenant  Purvin, 
and  the  military  officers.  Lieutenants  Garden,  of  the 
Royal  Newfoundland  Rangers,  and  O'Keefe  of  the 


I 


BRITISH  OFFICIAL  ACCOUNT. 


89 


I 


41st  regiment,  behaved  in  a  manner  which  excited  my 
warmest  admiration ;  the  few  British  seamen  I  had, 
behaved  with  their  usual  intrepidity,  and  as  long  as  I 
was  on  deck,  the  troops  behaved  with  a  calmness  and 
courage  worthy  of  a  more  fortunate  issue  to  their  ex- 
ertions. 

The  weathergage  gave  the  enemy  a  prodigious  ad- 
vantage,  as  it  enabled  them  not  only  to  choose  their 
position,  but  their  distance  also,  which  they  did  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  prevent  the  carronades  of  the  Queen 
Charlotte  and  Lady  Prevost,  from  having  much  effect ; 
while  their  long  guns  did  great  execution,  particularly 
against  the  Queen  Charlotte.  Captain  Perry  has  be- 
haved in  a  most  humane  auvi  attentive  manner,  not  only 
to  myself  and  officers,  but  to  all  the  wounded.  I  trust 
that,  although  unsuccessful,  you  will  approve  of  the 
motives  that  induced  me  to  sail  under  so  many  disad- 
vantages, and  that  it  may  be  hereafter  proved,  that 
under  such  circumstances  the  honor  of  His  Majesty's 
flag  has  not  been  tarnished.  I  enclose  the  list  of  killed 
and  wounded. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &;c. 

(Signed)  R.  H.  BARCLAY. 

Commander  and  late  Senior  Officer. 


His  Majesty^s  late  ship  Detroit,  September  10. 
Sir — I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  you  nn  account 
of  the  termination  of  the  late  unfortunate  battle  with 
the  enemy's  squadron. 

On  coming  on  the  quarter  deck,  after  your  being 
wounded,  the  enemy's  second  brig,  at  that  time  on  our 
8 


mi 


mmmmm 


! 


90 


ENGLISH  COURT  MARTIAL. 


I- 


f" 


weather  beam,  shortly  after  took  a  position  on  our 
weather  bow  to  rake  us ;  to  prevent  which,  in  attempt- 
ing to  wear,  to  get  our  starboard  broadside  to  bear 
upon  her,  a  number  of  the  guns  on  the  larboard  broad- 
side being  at  this  time  disabled,  we  fell  on  board  the 
Queen  Charlotte,  at  this  time  running  up  to  leeward  of 
us.  In  this  situation  the  two  ships  remained  for  some 
time.  As  soon  as  we  got  clear  of  her,  I  ordered  the 
Queen  Charlotte  to  shoot  ahead  of  us,  if  possible ;  and 
then  attempted  to  back  our  fore-topsail  to  get  astern, 
but  the  ship  lying  completely  unmanageable,  every 
brace  cut  away,  the  mizen  topmast  and  gaff  down,  all 
the  other  masts  badly  wounded,  not  a  stay  left  forward, 
hull  shattered  ve^  y  much,  a  number  of  the  guns  disa- 
bled, and  the  enemy's  squadron  raking  both  ships 
ahead  and  astern,  none  of  our  own  in  a  situation  to 
support  us,  I  was  under  the  painful  necessity  6f  answer- 
ing the  enemy,  to  say  we  had  struck,  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte having  previously  done  so.     I  have  the  honor,  &c. 

(Signed)  GEORGE  TNGLIS. 

To  Captain  Barclay,  dec. 


The  following  extract  from  volume  8,  page  29,  of 
Nilts'  Register,  was  copied  from  a  London  paper,  in 
1815. 

"  NAVAL  COURT  MARTIAL." 

"  A  Court  Martial  was  held  at  Portsmouth,  on  Fri- 
day, on  board  His  Majesty's  ship  Gladiator,  for  the 
trial  of  Captain  R.  H.  Barclay  and  his  remaining  of- 
fiers  and  men,  for  the  loss  of  the  squadron  on  Lake 


!        I 


ENGLISH  COURT  MARTIAL. 


91 


of 
in 


i 


Erie,  on  the  10th  of  September,   1813,  in  an  action 
with  the  American  flotilla." 

After  detailing  the  bad  equipment  of  the  British  ves- 
sels, and  other  unfavorable  circumstances  under  which 
Capt.  Barclay  was  compelled  to  sail,  the  Court  say,  that, 

"  On  the  following  morning  he  fell  in  with  the  ene- 
my, and  having  the  weathergage,  bore  down  to  com- 
mence the  action  ;  but,  unfortunately,  the  wind  veered 
directly  round,  and  brought  our  squadron  to  leeward. 
The  commencement,  however,  was  propitious  ;  the 
American  Commodore  was  obliged  to  leave  his  ship, 
which  soon  afterwards  surrendered,  and  hoist  his  flag 
on  another  of  his  squadron,  which  had  not  been  engaged, 
and  was  making  away,  when  unfortunately,  the  Queen 
Charlotte  and  Detroit,  our  two  best  ships,  having  had 
all  their  officers  killed  and  wounded,  fell  on  board  of 
nch  other,  and  were  unable  to  clear — at  the  same  time 
the  greater  number  of  their  guns  were  dismounted,  and 
the  Lady  Provost  had  fallen  to  leeward,  having  lost 
her  rudder.  The  Americans,  seeing  this  situation  of 
our  ships,  renewed  the  action  with  the  assistance  of  his 
gun  boats,  by  which  tlio  whole  of  our  squadron  was 
obiig"d  to  surrender." 

Non:.  The  allegotio,  made  in 'his  report  that  Ca^t- 
tain  E  lot  was  '^making  aicny,"  and  not  any  thing  con- 
tained  in  the  official  report  of  Cnium*  lore  Perry,  nor 
any  charge  made  against  him  at  home,  induced  Elliot 
to  call  for  a  Court  ol'  .  nquiry.  That  court  made  the 
following  report : 

"  The  Court  of  Inquiry  conven<  ^  at  thf^  request  of 
Captain  Jesse  D.  Elliot,  havitig  deliberately  examined 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


l^|2£    |25 

|iO    ■^™     H^H 

■^  1^    12.2 

IE 


1:25    1  1.4       1.6 

< 

6"     

► 

Photograplac 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  USSO 

(716)  873-4503 


''^"^J 


'^ 


'V- 


♦^^ 


I 


\  i 


AMERICAN  COURT  OF  INQUIRY. 

all  the  evidence  produced  before  them,  for  he  purpose 
of  investigating  his  conduct  in  the  glorious  battle  of 
Lake  Erie,  on  the  10th  of  September,  1813,  in  which 
he  bore  so  conspicuous  a  part,  sincerely  regret  that 
there  should  have  been  any  diversity  of  opinion  re- 
specting the  events  of  that  day,  and  imperious  duty 
compels  the  Court  to  promulgate  testimony  that  ap- 
pears materially  to  vary  in  some  of  its  important 
points.  The  Court,  however,  feel  convinced  that  the 
attempts  to  wrest  from  Captain  Elliot  the  laurels  he 
gained  in  that  splendid  victory,  as  second  in  command 
under  that  gallant  and  highly  meritorious  officer,  Cap- 
tain Perry,  ought  in  no  wise  to  lessen  him  in  the 
opinion  of  his  fellow  citizens,  as  a  brave  and  skilful 
officer,  and  that  the  charge  made  in  the  proceed  iigs  of 
the  British  Court  Martial,  by  which  Capt;  ii  Barclay 
was  tried,  of  his  attempting  to  withdraw  froai  the  bat- 
tle, is  malicious  and  unfounded  in  fact.  On  the  con- 
trary it  has  been  proved  to  the  satisfaction  of  this 
Court,  that  the  enemy's  ship  Queen  Charlotte  bofe  off 
from  the  fire  of  the  Niagara,  commanded  by  Captain 

Elliott." 

A.  MURRAY,  President, 

Henry  Wheaton,  Judge  Advocate. 

(Approved.)  B.  W.  CROWNINSHIELD. 

This  opinion  merely  negatives  the  allegation  of  the 
British  Court  Martial,  viz. :  that  Elliot  was  "  making 
away*^  from  the  battle. 

Commodore  Perry  has  been  accused  of  inconsisten- 
cy in  giving  a  favorable  account  of  Elliot's  conduct,  in 
his  report  of  the  battle,  and  then  preferring  charges 


COM.  perry's  letter. 


93 


■the 


against  him  for  gross  misconduct  during  the  engage- 
ment. To  set  this  in  a  proper  light,  his  letter  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  accompanying  those  charges  is 
here  pub] 'shed,  viz  : 

COM.  perry's  letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  lay  before  you  copies  of 
a  letter  lately  received  by  me  from  Captain  Jesse  D. 
Elliot  of  the  Navy,  and  of  certain  certificates  enclosed 
therein,  with  copies  also  of  my  letter  in  reply,  and  of 
the  affidavits  of  Lieutenants  Turner,  Stevens  and 
Champlin,  and  Dr.  Parsons. 

The  conduct  of  Captain  Elliot,  partially  presented 
to  view  in  these  papers,  and  still  more  clearly  marked 
by  other  acts  of  that  officer  within  my  knowledge,  and 
fully  susceptible  of  proof,  imposes  on  me  the  duty  of 
preferring  against  him  the  charges  which  accompany 
this  letter ;  and  I  now  accordingly  do  prefer  said 
charges  against  Captain  Elliot,  and  request  that  a 
court  martial  may  be  ordered  for  his  trial  thereupon. 

The  facts  upon  which  some  of  these  charges  are 
founded  (particularly  those  relating  to  the  behavior 
of  that  officer  during  the  engagement  on  Lake  Erie,) 
having  been  long  in  my  possession,  you  will  expect 
me  to  account  for  my  not  having  sooner  made  them 
known  to  the  government,  and  for  having  mentioned 
favorably,  in  my  official  report  of  that  action,  an  offi- 
cer whose  conduct  had  been  so  reprehensible. 

At  the  moment  of  writing  that  report,  I  did  in  my 
own  mind  avoid  coming  to  any  conclusion  to  what 
cause  the  conduct  of  Captain  Elliot  was  to  be  imputed; 


! 


94 


COM.  perry's  letter. 


i 


i    I 
1     1 

i   I 


nor  was  I  then  fully  acquainted  with  all  the  circum. 
stances  relating  to  it.  Having  previously  to  the  en- 
gagement given  all  the  orders  which  I  thought  neces- 
sary to  enable  every  officer  do  his  duty,  and  feeling 
confidence  in  them  all,  I  was,  after  it  commenced, 
necessarily  too  much  engaged  in  the  actual  scene  be- 
fore  me  to  reflect  deliberately  upon  the  cause  which 
could  induce  Captain  Elliot  to  keep  his  vessel  so  dis- 
tant both  from  me  and  the  enemy.  And  after  the 
battle  was  won,  I  felt  no  disposition  rigidly  to  examine 
into  the  conduct  of  any  of  the  officers  of  the  fleet ;  and, 
strange  as  the  behavior  of  Captain  Elliot  had  been, 
yet  I  would  not  iUow  myself  to  come  lo  a  decided 
opinion,  that  an  officer  who  had  so  handsomely  con- 
ducted  himself  on  a  former  occasion,  (as  I  then  in 
common  with  the  public  had  been  led  to  suppose  Cap. 
tain  Elliot  had)  could  possibly  be  guilty  of  cowardice 
or  treachery.  The  subsequent  conduct  also  of  Captain 
Elliott;  the  readiness  with  which  he  undertook  the 
most  minute  services ;  the  unfortunate  situation  in 
which  he  now  stood,  which  he  lamented  to  me,  and  his 
marked  endeavors  to  conciliate  protection — were  all 
well  calculated  to  have  their  effect.  But  still  more 
than  all,  I  was  actuated  by  a  strong  desire  that  in  the 
fleet  I  then  had  the  honor  to  command,  there  should  be 
nothing  but  harmony  after  the  victory  they  had  gained, 
and  that  nothing  should  transpire  which  would  bring 
reproach  upon  any  part  of  it,  or  convert  into  crimina- 
tion  the  praises  to  which  they  were  entitled,  and  which 
I  wished  them  all  to  share  and  enjoy.  The  difficul- 
ties  produced  in  my  mind  by  these  considerations,  were. 


I 


COM.  perry's  letter. 


95 


at  the  time,  fully  expressed  to  an  officer  of  the  fleet 
in  whom  I  had  great  confidence.  If  I  omitted  to 
name  Captain  Elliot,  or  named  him  without  credit,  I 
might  not  only  ruin  that  officer,  but,  at  the  same  time, 
give  occasion  to  animadversions  which,  at  that  period, 
I  thought  would  be  little  to  the  honor  or  advantage  of 
the  service.  If  my  official  report  of  that  transaction 
is  reverted  to,  these  embarrassments  with  respect  to 
Captain  Elliot,  under  which  I  labored  in  drawing  it, 
will,  I  believe,  be  apparent.  That  report  was  very 
different  from  what  had  been  expected  by  the  officers 
of  the  fleet ;  but,  having  adopted  the  course  which  I 
thought  most  prudent  to  pursue  with  regard  to  Captain 
Elliot,  I  entr  ated  them  to  acquiesce  in  it,  and  made 
every  exertion  in  my  power  to  prevent  any  further  re- 
marks  on  his  condnci — and  even  furnished  him  with  a 
favorable  letter  or  certificate  for  the  same  purpose,  of 
which  he  has  since  made  a  very  unjustifiable  use. 

These,  sir,  are  the  reasons  which  induced  me  at  the 
time  not  to  bring  on  an  inquiry  into  his  conduct.  The 
cause  and  propriety  of  my  now  doing  so,  will,  I  trust, 
require  but  few  explanations.  I  would  willingly,  for 
my  own  sake  as  well  as  his,  (after  the  course  I  had 
pursued  for  the  purpose  of  shielding  him,)  have  still 
remained  silent ;  but  this.  Captain  Elliot  will  not  al< 
low  me  to  do.  He  has  acted  upon  the  idea,  that  by 
assailing  my  character  he  shall  repair  his  own. 

After  he  was  left  in  the  command  on  Lake  Erie,  I 
was  soon  informed  of  the  intrigues  he  was  there  prac- 
lising,  some  of  which  are  detailed  in  these  charges. 
These  I  should  not  have  regarded  as  long  as  they  were 


"••■"^W^IP^IP 


^ 


h 


»   I 


*.. 


I 


96 


COM.  perry's  letter. 


private  ;  but  I  then  determined  and  declared  to  many 
of  my  friends  in  the  navy,  that  should  Captain  Elliot 
ever  give  publicity  to  his  misrepresentations,  I  would 
then  demand  an  investigation  of  the  whole  of  his  con- 
duct.    This  necessity  is  now  forced  upon  me. 

Believing  my  hands  to  be  bound,  and  even  braving 
me  with  the  very  certificate  afforded  to  him  in  charity, 
this  officer  at  last  addresses  directly  to  myself,  and 
claims  my  acquiescence  ni  the  grossest  misrepre- 
sentations— not  only  of  his  own  conduct  on  Lake  Erie, 
but  of  conduct  and  declarations  which  he  imputes  to 
mc. 

Thus  has  Captain  Elliot  himself  brought  his  own 
conduct  on  Lake  Erie  again  into  view,  and,  by  in- 
volving  with  it  imputations  upon  mine,  has  compelled 
me  to  call  for  this  inquiry.  He  can  make  no  com- 
plaint, therefore,  of  delay  in  bringing  forward  any  of 
these  charges.  Those  which  regard  his  conduct  on 
Lake  Erie,  and  his  justification,  (if  he  has  any,)  are 
besides  as  perfectly  susceptible  of  proof  now  as  at  any 
earlier  period.  Whatever  the  character  of  that  be- 
haviour was,  it  was  witnessed  by  such  numbers  as  to 
leave  nothing  in  it  equivocal  or  unexplained.  Some  of 
the  officers  who  were  with  him  may  still  be  called 
upon,  and  although  two  or  three  others  are  deceased, 
yet  so  were  they  when  Captain  Elliot  himself  called 
for  a  Court  of  Inquiry.  Certificates  also  were  ob- 
tained  from  those  officers  by  Captain  Elliot  while 
living,  the  originals  of  which  are  in  the  Department, 
and  it  may  be  seen  by  them  that  those  officers,  if 
present,  would  have  no  testimony  to  give  which  could 


I 


COM.  perby's  letter. 


97 


ut  all  militate  with  these  charges.  There  are  as 
many  officers  deceased  from  whoso  testimony  Cap- 
tain Elliot  would  have  much  more  to  fear,  than  he 
would  have  to  hope  from  that  of  the  officers  ahove 
alluded  to.  A  Court  of  Inquiry  consisting  of  three  of- 
ficers  was  once  called  at  the  request  of  Captain  Elliot, 
in  consequence  (if  I  recollect  rightly)  of  some  allusions 
to  the  conduct  of  the  Niagara,  supposed  to  be  con- 
tained in  the  British  Commodore  Barclay's  report ; 
and  though  that  inquiry  (of  which  no  notice  to  attend 
as  witnesses  was  given  to  any  of  the  commandeis  pf 
vessels  on  Lake  Erie,  (could  only  be  a  very  limifcfed 
one,  and  could  involve  no  actual  trial  upon  Captain 
Elliot's  conduct,  yet  he  undoubtedly  had  before  that , 
Court  all  such  witnesses  as  could  testify  in  his 'favor, 
and  the  record  of  that  testimony  (if  any  of  those  ^wit- 
nesses are  deceased,)  will  avail  him.  Captain  Elliot, 
therefore,  can  suffer  nothing  from  the  lapse  of  time, 
and  it  wouM  indeed  be  a  strong  pretension  in  him  to 
claim  protection  from  inquiry  into  his  conduct,  at  the 
same  time  that  he  is  giving  notoriety  to  his  own  re- 
presentations of  it,  and  that  too  to  the  prejudice  of 
others. 

I  am,  sir,  fully  sensible  how  troublesome  the  fre- 
quent examinations  into  the  conduct  of  officers  has  been 
to  the  government,  and  how  disagreeable  they  must 
have  become.  I  am  aware,  also,  that  the  public  are 
justly  dissatisfied  with  them,  and  that  reproach  has  been 
brought  upon  the  service  by  means  of  them.  I  have, 
therefore,  avoided  asking  for  this  investigation  as  long 


U 


-i 


k 


ip 


i...  I 


I    :, 


II 


'    ! 


!    !i 


98 


COM.  ferry's  accusation. 


as  I  possibly  could  do  so  with  any  justice  to  the  service^ 
or  to  my  own  character. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

O.  H.  PERRY. 

In  consequence  of  the  absence,  upon  the  Mediterra- 
nean station,  of  a  number  of  material  witnesses,  the 
Court  of  Inquiry  asked  for  in  this  letter  could  not  be 
convened  till  Perry  sailed  upon  that  cruise  which  ter- 
minated his  life. 


The  following  is  the  second  charge  with  the  speci- 
fications, preferred  by  Perry  against  Elliot. 

"  Conduct  unbecoming  an  officer,  and  manifesting 
disregard  of  the  honor  of  the  American  flag. 

"  Specijication. — Because  the  said  Captain  Elliot, 
about  the  1st  of  October,  1813,  on  board  the  gun  boat 
Scorpion,  commanded  by  Sailing-Master  Champlin,' 
then  on  Lake  St.  Clair,  in  the  presence  of  said  Champ- 
lin,  intemperately  and  unjustly  abused  the  said  Captain 
tain  Perry,  his  said  commanding  officer  on  Lake  Erie, 
and  expressly  declared  that  he  had  had  it  in  his  power 
to  destroy  the  fleet,  and  the  said  Perry  with  it,  and  he 
only  regretted  that  he  had  not  done  so  ;  and  further 
there  declared,  that  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Law- 
rence were  not,  entitled  to  prize  money,  on  account  of 
the  vessels  of  the  enemy  captured  on  Lake  Erie,  but 
that  the  officers  and  crews  of  the  other  vessels  of  the 
American  fleet  were  entitled  to  prize  money  for  the 


COM.  perry's  accusation. 


99 


«rie. 


recapture  of  the  Lawrence.  And  because  the  said 
Captain  Elliot  did  again,  at  Buffalo,  in  November  and 
December,  1813,  publicly  express  the  same  wish,  that 
he  had  sacrificed  the  American  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  to. 
gether  with  the  said  Captain  Perry,  its  commander. 

«  Specification. — Because  the  said  Captain  Elliot,  at 
Erie,  on  or  about  the  26th  of  October,  1813,  declared 
in  the  presence  of  Dr.  Wallace,  of  that  place,  that  it 
would  be  a  serious  question  between  the  tv/o  govern, 
ments  (meaning  the  American  and  British,)  whether 
Captain  Perry  was  not  to  be  considered  as  a  prisoner 
of  war." 

The  fourth,  fiflh  and  sixth  charges  and  specifications 
were  as  follows : 

"That  the  said  Captain  Elliot,  on  the  10th  of  Sep. 
tember,  1813,  being  then  a  Master  Commander  in  the 
Navy  of  the  United  States,  and  commanding  the  United 
States  brig  Niagara,  one  of  the  American  squadron  on 
Lake  Erie,  did  not  use  his  utmost  exertion  to  carry 
into  execution  the  orders  of  his  commanding  officer  to 
join  in  the  battle  on  that  day  between  the  American 
and  British  fleets." 

"  Specijication. — Because  the  American  squadron 
having  sailed,  in  search  of  the  enemy,  a  few  days  pre. 
vious,  the  following  orders  and  instructions  were  issued 
by  the  commanding  officer,  viz. — 1st,  An  order  di- 
recting in  what  manner  the  line  of  battle  should  be 
formed  ;  the  several  vessels  to  keep  within  half  cable's 
length  of  each  other,  and  enjoining  it  upon  the  com- 
manders  to  preserve  their  stations  in  the  line,  and,  in 


V 


100 


COM.  perry's  accusation. 


'  i     I 


il.'l 


all  cases  to  keep  as  near  to  the  commanding  officer's 
vessel,  the  Lawrence,  as  possible.  2d — An  order  of 
attack ;  in  which  order  the  Lawrence  was  designated 
to  attack  the  enemy's  new  ship,  (afterwards  ascer. 
tained  to  have  been  named  the  Detroit,)  and  the  Niag. 
ara,  commanded  by  the  said  Captain  Elliot,  designated 
to  attack  the  enemy's  ship  "  Queen  Charlotte  ;"  which 
orders  were  then  communicated  to  all  the  commanders, 
including  the  said  Captain  Elliot,  who,  for  that  pur- 
pose, and  to  receive  further  orders  and  instructions, 
were,  by  signal,  called  together  by  the  said  command- 
ing officer,  and  all  the  said  commanders,  including  the 
said  Captain  Elliot,  were  then,  by  the  said  command- 
ing officer,  expressly  further  instructed,  that  *'  if,  in  the 
expected  engagement,  they  laid  their  vessels  close  along 
side  of  those  of  the  enemy,  they  could  not  be  out  of 
their  way."  3d — When  coming  into  action,  an  order 
was  passed,  by  trumpet,  for  the  vessels  astern  to  close 
up  in  the  line  ;  and,  after  the  enemy  had  commenced 
firing,  the  signal  was  made,  by  the  said  commanding 
officer,  for  the  fleet  to  come  into  action,  each  vessel 
against  her  opponent,  as  before  designated ;  yet  did  he, 
the  said  Captain  Elliot,  notwithstanding  said  orders, 
and  in  violation  thereof,  keep  his  said  brig,  thj  Niaga- 
ra,  nearly  a  mile's  distance  astern  of  the  Lawrence, 
and  a  still  greater  distance  from  the  whole  of  the  ene- 
my's fleet,  during  more  than  two  hours  of  the  battle, 
although  but  a  few  moments  before  its  commencement 
he  was  within  hail  of  the  Lawrence,  and  might  with 
ease  have  followed  that  vessel  into  close  action,  instead 
of  which  he,  the  said  Captain  Elliot,  failed  to  come  into 


I! 


COM.  perry's  accusation. 


101 


close  action  and  to  engage  the  enemy's  ship  the  Queen 
Charlotte,  as  he  was  bound  to  do  by  said  order  and  by 
the  example  of  the  commanding  officer's  vessel,  and 
did  remain,  during  the  whole  period  before  mcntioncdi 
at  ."^uch  a  distance  from  th^  enemy  as  to  render  all  the 
guns  of  the  Niagara  useless,  except  two  long  ones, 
which,  consequently,  were  the  only  guns  fired  from 
that  vessel  during  all  the  said  time,  and  by  which,  at 
so  great  a  distance  but  little,  if  any,  effect  upon  the 
enemy  could  be  produced ;  of  which  misconduct  and 
breach  of  orders  the  said  Captain  Elliot  was  guilty, 
without  t^ny  necessity,  cause,  or  excuse,  his  said  vessel 
being,  in  all  respects,  in  size,  force,  equipment  and 
crew,  and  sailing,  fully  equal  to  the  Lawrence  and  the 
ship  he  wa^  ordered  to  engage ;  and,  being  ulso  to  the 
windward  of  the  enemy,  said  vessel  could  not  easily 
have  been  kept  out  of  close  action,  unless  the  said 
Captain  Elliot  had,  for  that  purposCf  kept,  as  he  did, 
her  main  topsail  aback  and  her  jib  brailed  up  ;  by  do< 
ing  which,  and  by  keeping  the  wind,  instead  of  bear, 
ing  down  upon  the  enemy,  he,  the  said  Captain  Elliot, 
finally  carried  his  said  vessel  on  the  outside  of  the 
Lawrence  and  Caledonia,  placing  those  vessels  be- 
tween him  and  the  enemy,  and  was,  when  his  said 
commanding  officer  went  on  board  that  vessel,  keepi'ig 
her  on  a  course  by  the  wind,  which  would,  in  a  few 
minutes,  have  carried  said  vessel  entirely  out  of  the 
action,  to  prevent  which,  and  in  order  to  bring  the  said 
vessel  into  close  action  with  the  enemy,  the  said  com- 
manding officer  was  under  the  necessity  of  heaving  to 
9 


TT 


W2 


COM.  perry's  accusation. 


I  i 


and  immediately  wearing  said  vessel  and  altering  her 
course  at  least  eight  points. 

Charge  5th. — That  the  said  Capt.  Elliot,  on  the  10th 
Sept.  1813,  being  then  commander  of  the  U.  States  brig 
Niagara,  one  of  the  American  squadron  on  Lake  Erie, 
through  cowardice,  negligence,  or  disaiTection,  did  not, 
in  the  action  on  said  lake  on  that  day  between  the 
American  and  British  fleets,  do  his  utmost  to  take  or 
destroy  the  vessel  of  the  enemy  which  it  was  his  duty 
to  encounter. 

Charge  6th. — That  the  said  Capt.  Elliot,  in  said  en. 
gagement  on  Lake  Erie,  on  the  said  10th  of  September, 
through  cowardice,  negligence,  or  disaffection,  did  not 
do  his  utmost  endeavor  to  afford  relief  to  the  United 
States  brig  Lawrence. 

Specification. — Same  as  to  charges  4th  and  5th,  with 
the  following  addition  : 

In  consequence  of  which  conduct  of  the  said  Captain 
Elliot,  the  enemy's  said  ship  the  Queen  Charlotte,  was 
enabled  to  unite  her  force  with  that  of  the  Detroit 
against  the  Lawrence  ;  instead  of  preventing  which, 
or  affording  any  assistance  to  said  brig  Lawrence,  the 
said  Captain  Elliot  left  that  vessel,  her  officers  and 
crew,  (eighty -three  of  whom  were  killed  or  wounded,) 
a  sacrifice  to  the  enemy,  although  his,  the  said  Captain 
Elliot's  vessel,  remained  perfectly  uninjured,  with  not 
more  than  one  or  two  of  his  men  (if  any)  wounded, 
while  Captain  Elliot  continued  on  board  of  her. 

O.  H.  PERRY." 

August  8, 1818. 


^-Al 


CAPT.  TURNER^S  APPIDAVIT. 


103 


The  other  charges  preferred  by  Commodore  Perry 
against  Elliot,  were,  for  unoflicer.like  and  ungentle, 
manly  conduct  subsequent  to  the  battle,  in  misreprc- 
senting  the  events  of  the  action,  and  attempting  to  ex. 
alt  his  own  services  and  detract  from  those  of  others — 
falsely  claiming  to  have  been  in  close  action,  and  as- 
suming  to  himself  the  principal  share  of  the  victory — 
attempting,  by  unmanly  means,  to  procure  from  the 
officers  of  the  fleet,  contrary  to  their  opinion,  ccrtifi- 
cates  of  his  own  good  conduct,  and  endeavoring  to  ob. 
tain  from  British  officers,  prisoners  under  his  charge, 
declarations  favorable  to  himself— of  unjust  hostility 
towards  those  officers  who  had  refused  to  give  him 
certificates — falsely  declaring  that  Perry,  in  despair, 
had  thrown  overboard  his  fighting  flag,  which  had  been 
picked  up  by  another  officer — ot  asserting  that  Perry, 
when  he  came  on  boa^d  the  Niagara,  was  in  d'ispair 
and  ready  to  ^^ '  r  render  the  fleet,  and  that  it  was  through 
his  firmness  ainJ  perseverance  the  fight  was  renewed— 
and  having  brought  great  discredit  upon  the  service  by 
publicly  expressing  his  regret  that  he  had  not  sacrificed 
the  fleet,  and  Perry  with  it,  as  he  had  had  the  power  to 
do  in  the  action. 


» 


Copy  of  Captain  Daniel  Turner's  affidavit, 

"In  the  battle  of  the  10th  September,  1813,  on  Lake 
Erie,  between  the  American  squadron  commanded  by 
Commodore  Perry,  and  the  British  squadron  under 
Commodore  Barclay,  the  action  begun  when  the  two 
squadrons  were  about  a  mile  apart,  by  a  firing  com- 
menced by  the  enemy  ;  the  signal  having  been  made 


■  I 


)04 


CAPT.  TURNER'S  APPIDAVIT. 


I.   I 


t,  t 


iUi 


by  Commodore  Perry,  for  our  vessels  to  engage  as 
they  came  up,  each  against  the  enemy's  vessels,  as  de- 
signated in  previous  orders,  which  made  the  Queeii 
Charlotte  the  antagonist  of  the  Niagara,  commanded  by 
Captain  Elliot.  It  was  understood  by  the  American 
officers  before  the  fight,  that  it  was  Captain  Perry's 
intention  to  bring  the  enemy  to  close  action  as  soon  as 
possible;.  The  Lawrence  accordingly  closed  with  the 
Detroit  very  soon.  The  Queen  Charlotte  made  sail 
for  the  purpose  of  assisting  the  Detroit.  The  Niagara 
might  have  relieved  the  Lawrence  from  the  Queen 
Charlotte's  fire,  if  she  had  made  proper  exertions  to 
bring  her  to  close  action  ;  but  by  keeping  her  main- 
topsail  aback,  and  her  jib  brailed  up,  she  kept  at  too 
great  a  distance  from  the  enemy  to  do  him  any  mate, 
rial  injury,  and  sustained  scarcely  any  herself,  until 
the  Commodore  took  command  of  her,  who,  immedi- 
ately bore  up  and  passed  through  the  enemy's  line, 
firing  both  his  broadsides  with  such  tremendous  effect, 
as  compelled  him  instantly  to  surrender. 

It  was  the  general  opinion  of  the  American  officers, 
and  expressed  with  much  indignation,  that  Captain  £1. 
Hot  did  not  do  his  duty  in  the  battle,  as  a  gallant  and 
faithful  officer  ;  inasmuch  as  he  did  not  bring  his  ves- 
sel, as  soon  as  he  might  have  done,  into  close  action, 
which  circumstance  only,  made  the  result  of  the  battle 
for  a  short  time  doubtful.  Soon  after  the  victory.  Cap- 
tain Elliot's  conduct  was  spoken  of,  as  well  in  General 
Harrison's  army,  as  in  the  fleet,  with  great  disappro- 
bation  and  censure.  Captain  Perry  heard  of  it,  and 
spoke  to  me  of  it  one  evening ;  said  that  he  was  sorry 


CAPT.  turner's  affidavit. 


105 


reports  were  in  circulation  so  ruinous  to  Captain  Elli- 
ot's reputation — wished  they  might  be  silenced,  and  de- 
sired me  to  go  on  shore  to  the  camp,  and  do  all  that  I 
could,  with  propriety,  to  counteract  them — I  did  so  ac- 
cordingly the  next  morning.  He  said  the  American 
flag  had  gained  much  honor  that  day,  and  he  wished 
all  his  companions  in  battle  to  share  it  with  him. 
Several  weeks  after  this.  Captain  Perry  told  me  that 
Captain  Elliot  wished  him  to  alter  that  part  of  his  of- 
ficial report  which  stated  that  the  Niagara  did  not,  un- 
til a  late  period  of  the  engagement,  get  into  close  ac- 
tion— and  asked  me  whether  I  thought  that  part  of  his 
report  incorrect,  as  it  had  been  agreed  to  leave  the 
question  to  be  decided  by  two  commissioned  otficeis  of 
the  fleet,  (Lieutenant  Edwards,  who  was  present,  and 
myself  being  the  officers  selected,)  I  answered,  I  thought 
that  part  of  his  official  report  was  entirely  correct,  to 
which  Lieutenant  Edwards  assented. 

Some  time  after.  Captain  Perry  left  the  lake,  and 
when  the  squadron  was  under  Elliot's  command,  he 
applied  to  me  and  repeatedly  urged  me  to  give  him  a 
certificate  respecting  his  conduct  in  the  battle.  He 
said  his  only  reason  for  wishing  one,  was  to  have  it  in 
his  power  to  calm  his  wife's  uneasiness,  who  had  heard 
that  his  conduct  had  been  questioned  ;  and  declared  to 
me,  upon  his  honor,  that  he  would  make  no  other  use 
of  it  than  as  a  means  of  relieving  her  unhappiness. 
Thus  delicately  and  unpleasantly  situated,  I  wrote  such 
a  certificate  as  I  thought  I  might,  for  such  an  occa- 
sion, venture  to  give  Captain  Elliot. 

DAN.  TURNER."    - 
9* 


•, 


■^. 


I. 


li 


1 1 


m 


CAPT.  STEVENS'  AFFIDAVIT. 


Copy  of  the  affidavit  of  Captain  TTiomas  Holdup  Ste*' 
.    venSf  commanding  United  States  sloop  Trippe^  in  the 
action  of  the  lOth  of  SeptembcTf  181S, 

**  When  the  American  squadron  had  approached  the 
enemy  within  about  a  mile,  and  the  enemy  had  com* 
menced  firing,  the  signal  was  made  by  Commodore 
Perry,  to  "  engage  as  you  come  up,  every  one  against  his 
opponent,  in  the  line  as  before  designated ;"  agreeably 
to  this  signal,  the  situation  of  the  Niagara  should  have 
been  abreast  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  within  half  a 
cable's  length.  The  Lawrence  went  gallantly  into 
close  action,  and  her  example  was  followed  by  the 
Caledonia,  Lieut.  Turner  ;  but  the  Niagara  continued 
to  hug  the  wind,  and  remained  in  the  position  she  had 
taken  at  the  commencement  of  the  action  till  a  few  mo> 
ments  previous  to  Com.  Perry's  boarding  her.  There 
could  not  be  any  rational  object  in  the  Niagara's  keep- 
ing at  long  shot  with  the  Queen  Charlotte,  as  the 
amount  and  description  of  their  force  was  equal,  and 
being  principally  carronades,  no  effect  could  be  made 
by  them  at  the  distance  Captain  Elliot  kept  his  ship. 
From  the  number  of  light  sails  the  Niagara  had,  and 
there  being  a  leading  wind,  Captain  Elliot  might,  at  any 
period  of  the  action,  have  closed  with  the  enemy,  and 
relieved  the  Lawrence  from  the  dreadful  and  destruc- 
tive fire  kept  up  upon  her  from  the  united  forces  of  the 
Detroit  and  Queen  Charlotte. 

It  was  the  general  opinion  of  the  officers  and  men  of 
the  squadron,  that  Captain  Elliot  did  not  do  his  duty  in 
the  action  of  the  10th  of  September  ;  and  that  had  he 


CAPT.  STEVENS'  AFFIDAVIT. 


lOV 


been  impelled  by  a  becoming  bravery,  he  would  have 
made  greater  exertions  to  have  taken  an  active  part 
in  the  fight.  Great  irritation  was  produced  in  the  fleet 
in  consequence  of  it,  and  this  opinion  continued  to  be 
freely  expressed  till  it  was  made  known  that  Com. 
Perry  was  desirous  of  protecting  Captain  Elliot  from 
the  effects  of  such  reports.  Every  exertion  was  made 
by  Com.  Perry  to  screen  Captain  Elliot  from  the  inju* 
rious  impressions  made  by  his  conduct :  but  the  volun- 
teers in  the  fleet  did  not  pay  the  same  regard  to  Com. 
Perry's  wishes  as  was  done  by  the  ofllicers ;  and  many 
of  them  having  witnessed  the  conduct  of  Capt.  Elliot, 
gave  full  expression  to  their  feelings  and  opinions  re- 
specting him. 

It  was  a  received  opinion  in  the  fleet,  that  previous 
to  Com,  Perry's  going  on  board  the  Niagara,  she  had 
but  one  man  wounded,  and  that  her  opponent,  the 
Queen  Gharlolte,  from  the  account  of  the  British  offi- 
cers,  had  suffered  but  very  slightly  previous  to  being 
engaged  in  close  action  with  Com.  Perry. 

When  th<3  action  closed,  Captain  Elliot  was  on  board 
the  Somers,  and  the  accounts  from  that  vessel  were 
very  unfavorable  to  Captain  Elliot's  bravery,  as  it  was 
reported  he  beat  the  Captain  of  the  gun  very  severely 
with  a  speaking  trumpet,  for  having  laughed  at  his 
dodging  a  shot  which  passed  over  him  from  the  en- 
emy. 

(Signed)  THOS.  HOLDUP  STEVENS." 


■* 


108 


CAPT.  CHAMPLIN's  AFFIDAVIT. 


ifi 


iji 


;  Ul 


Copy  of  the  affidavit  of  Captain  Stephen  ChampUtii 
commanding  the  United  States  schooner  Scorpion^  in 
the  battle  of  the  lOth  of  September^  1813. 

«  In  the  action  of  the  10th  of  September,  1813,  be- 
tween the  American  squadron,  commanded  by  Com. 
Perry,  and  the  British,  under  Com.  Barclay,  on  Lake 
Erie,  when  we  were  within  the  distance  of  a  mile  from 
the  enemy,  who  had  commenced  firing,  the  signal  was 
made  by  Commodore  Perry,  "  engage  as  you  come  up^ 
every  one  against  Ms  opponent,  in  the  line  before  desig- 
nated." The  situation  of  the  Niagara  should  have 
been  abreast  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  of  course  as 
near  as  she  could  get,  as  previous  to  the  action  I  had 
always  understood  from  Commodore  Perry  that  it  was 
his  intention  to  bring  the  enemy's  fleet  to  close  action 
in  case  of  a  conflict.  The  Lawrence  went  into  close 
action  in  the  most  gallant  style,  followed  by  the  Cale- 
donia, under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  D.  Turner, 
who  kept  her  in  her  station,  agreeably  to  signals.  The 
Queen  Charlotte  made  sail  and  closed  up  with  the  De- 
troit  shortly  after  the  action  commenced,  and  directed 
her  fire  at  the  Lawrence.  The  Niagara  still  contin- 
ued to  remain  a  long  way  astern,  and  firing  at  long 
shct ;  a  short  time  before  Commodore  Perry's  going  on 
board  of  her,  she  ranged  ahead  of  the  Lawrence  and 
to  windward  of  her,  bringing  the  Commodore's  ship  be- 
tween  her  and  the  enemy,  when  she  might  have  passed 
to  leeward  and  relieved  the  Lawrence  from  their  de- 
structive fire.  The  wind  being  at  that  time  south-east 
and  the  American  squadron  steering  large,  (with  the 
exception  of  the  Lawrence,  she  being  at  that  time  en- 


CAPT.  CHAMPLIN's  AFFIDAVIT. 


109 


tirely  disabled  and  lying  like  a  log  upon  the  water,) 
the  Caledonia  took  and  maintained  her  station  in  the 
line,  which  was  just  astern  of  the  Commodore  during 
the  whole  of  the  action.  It  was  the  opinion  of  the  of- 
ficers and  men  of  the  squadron  that  Captain  Elliot  did 
not  do  his  duty  in  the  action  on  that  day,  and  that  had 
his  conduct  been  that  of  a  brave  man,  there  is  no  pos- 
sible reason  that  can  be  given  why  his  vessel  should 
not  have  been  brought  into  close  action  with  the  British 
squadron,  before  Commodore  Perry  went  on  board  of 
her. 

Great  indignation  was  expressed  by  the  officers  in 
general  at  the  base  conduct  of  Captain  Elliot  in  neg- 
lecting  to  support  the  Lawrence  as  he  ought  to  have 
done.  But  understanding  that  the  Commodore  desired 
to  screen  him,  they  forbore  to  make  any  remarks  pub- 
licly upon  his  conduct.  The  volunteers  in  fleet,  how. 
ever,  not  being  actuated  by  the  same  motives  which 
induced  those  under  Commodore  Perry's  command  to 
remain  silent,  expressed  their  feelings  without  any  re- 
serve whatever.  At  the  close  of  the  action.  Captain 
Elliot  was  on  board  of  the  Somers,  and  behaved  (as 
was  reported  by  the  officers  and  crew  of  that  vessel,) 
in  a  manner  totally  unbecoming  an  officer,  by  beating 
the  captain  of  the  gun  severely  with  a  speaking  trum- 
pet, for  his  laughing  while  he.  Captain  Elliot,  dodged  a 
shot. 

On  or  about  the  1st  of  October,  1813,  while  com- 
manding  the  United  States  schooner  Scorpion,  on  Lake 
St.  Clair,  Captain  Elliot  came  on  board  :  in  the  course 
of  conversation  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie  being  intrq. 


*,  :tJ 


h 


"I 


no 


MR.  BREESE's  affidavit. 


;i 


>ii 


:  1  il 

■    ,1 

1 

i 

11 


t    il 


duced,  he  observed,  "  that  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
Lawrence,  including  Com.  Perry,  were  by  no  means 
entitled  to  prize  money  ;  and  still  further,  that  the 
other  officers  and  men  of  the  squadron  were  even  en- 
titled to  prize  money  for  her,  she  being  a  recaptured 
vessel."  He  also  observed,  that  in  the  action  he  was 
so  far  from  the  enemy  that  he  only  fired  his  12  pound- 
ers during  two  hours  and  a  half;  the  reason  he  as- 
signed was,  that  he  had  no  signal  from  the  Commodore 
to  change  his  situation  ;  complained  much  of  Commo- 
dore Perry's  injustice  towards  him,  and  said,  "  He  only 
regretted  that  he  had  not  sacrificed  the  fleet  when  it  was 
in  his  power  to  hate  done  so,  on  that  account,^*  He 
also  expressed  sentiments  to  that  effect  frequently  after- 
wards  at  Buffalo,  as  I  was  informed  by  the  citizens, 
and  Midshipman  Senatt,  who  was  present  when  the 
observations  were  made. 

(Signed)  STEPHEN  CHAMPLIN." 


Copy  of  an  affidavit  of  Thomas  Breese,  Esq,  Purser 
U,  S.  JV.  who  was  stationed  on  the  quarter-deck  of 
the  Lawrence  during  the  action  of  the  \Qth  of  Sep- 
tember, 1813. 

"  On  the  10th  of  September,  1818,  the  action  on  Lake 
Erie  commenced  by  firing  from*the  enemy's  flag-ship, 
on  the  Lawrence,  about  the  distance  of  a  mile.  The 
signal  was  previously  made  by  Commodore  Perry,  for 
our  vessels  to  engage  as  they  came  up,  each  against  his 
opponent  in  the  British  line,  designated  by  the  order  of 


MR.  BREESE's  affidavit. 


Ill 


battlei  which  made  the  ship  Queen  Charlotte  the  an- 
tagonist of  the  Niagara,  commanded  by  Captain  Elliot ; 
it  being  understood  by  the  commanders  of  the  Ameri- 
can  vessels,  that  it  was  the  intention  of  Commodore 
Perry  to  bring  the  enemy  to  close  action  as  soon  as 
possible.  The  Lawrence  immediately  closed  with  the 
Detroit,  and  her  example  was  gallantly  followed  by 
the  Caledonia,  Lieutenant  Turner,  the  Scorpion,  ao^ 
Ariel.  Shortly  after  the  commencement  of  the  battle, 
the  enemy's  ship.  Queen  Charlotte,  made  sail  and  passed 
ahead  of  the  opponent  of  the  Caledonia,  and  opened  a 
destructive  fire  on  the  Lawrence,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Detroit ;  but  the  Niagara,  from  some  mysterious 
cause,  remained  in  the  position  she  held  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action.  The  conduct  of  Captain 
Elliot,  in  thus  keeping  his  vessel  out  of  close  action, 
was  ev'dedtly  the  cause  of  the  great  length  of  time  the 
action  lasted,  and  made  the  result  for  a  time,  doubtful. 
When  the  Niagara  passed  to  windward  of  the  Law- 
rence,  she  appeared  to  have  sustained  little  or  no  in- 
jury. After  the  action  closed,  the  censure  on  the  be- 
havior of  Captain  Elliot  was  general  and  severe,  not 
only  by  the  officers  of  the  Lawrence,  but  those  of  the 
small  vessels  ;  so  much  so,  that  the  officers  did  not  hes- 
itate to  say,  that  Captain  Elliot  must  have  been  actu- 
ated by  cowardly  or  ambitious  motives,  until  it  was 
made  known,  through  Lieutenant  Turner,  that  it  was 
the  wish  of  Commodore  Perry  to  suppress  any  reports 
prejudicial  to  Captain  Elliot.  In  conversation  with 
some  of  the  British  officers,  some  time  after  the  action, 
I  heard  them  give  as  a  reason  for  the  Queen  Char- 


w 


:  i 


ii 

■Hi 

■1 


11 

I 


.ill 


i:' 


:i!^'''i; 


ii! 


112 


CAPT.  BROWNELL's  AFFIDAVIT. 


lotto's  changing  her  position  and  firing  upon  the  Law- 
rence, was  in  consequence  of  the  Niagara,  Captain 
Eiliot,  being  at  so  great  a  distance,  that  the  short  guns 
of  their  vessels  could  not  be  used  with  effect.  It  was 
reported,  that  Captain  Elliot,  at  the  close  of  the  action, 
behaved  in  an  unofficer-like  manner  on  board  the  schr. 
Somers,  by  beating  a  captain  of  a  gun  with  a  trumpet, 
for  laughing  as  he  dogded  a  shot  which  passed  over 
him  from  the  enemy.  It  was  the  received  opinion  in 
the  fleet,  that  the  Niagara  had  but  one  or  two  men 
wounded,  on  board  of  her,  when  Commodore  Perry  took 
the  command,  and  that  she  had  sustained  but  slight  in< 
jury  previous  to  that  time.  I  frequently  heard,  af\er 
Commodore  Perry  left  the  station,  that  Captain  Elliot, 
then  in  command,  had  circulated  reports,  among  the 
citizens  as  well  as  officers,  respecting  the  conduct  of 
Commodore  Perry  immediately  after  he  got  on  board 
the  Niagara,  which  wero  calculated  to  injure  Commo- 
dore Perry,  and  were  honbrable  to  himself. 
(Signed)  THOS.  BREESE." 


Copy  of  the  affidavit  of  Captain  Thomas  Brownellf  Sail.' 
ing  Master  of  the  United  States  schooner  Ariel,  in 
the  action  of  the  \Qth  of  September,  1813. 

"  In  the  action  on  the  10th  of  September,  1813,  be- 
tween the  American  squadron,  commanded  by  Commo- 
dore  Perry,  and  the  British,  under  Commodore  Barclay, 
on  Lake  Erie,  when  we  were  about  a  mile  distant  from 
the  enemy,  he  commenced  firing.  The  signal  was 
made  by  Commodore  Perry,  "  Engage  as  you  come  up. 


\]^^ 


j-s*-* 


CAPT.  BROWNELL*S  AFFIDAVIT. 


113 


each  vessel  against  her  opponent,  as  previously  designa. 
ted."  The  situation  of  the  Niagara  should  have  been 
abreast  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  as  near  as  she 
could  get ;  as  previous  to  the  action,  I  had  always  un- 
derstood  that  it  was  Commodore  Perry's  intention  to 
bring  the  enemy  to  close  quarters  as  soon  as  possible 
in  case  of  an  action. 

The  Lawrence  went  gallantly  into  close  action,  but 
the  Niagara  continued  to  keep  at  a  much  greater  dis- 
tance astern  than  when  the  action  commenced. 

The  Queen  Charlotte  made  sail  soon  after  the  action 
began,  and  closed  with  the  Detroit,  for  the  purpose  of 
directing  her  fire  at  the  Lawrence  in  conjunction  with 
the  Detroit.  The  Niagara,  by  backing  her  maintop- 
sail  and  brailing  up  her  jib,  was  not  enabled  to  fire  but 
at  long  shots,  with  her  bow  guns,  for  a  long  time  dur- 
ing the  action.  A  few  minutes  before  Commodore 
Perry  went  on  board  the  Niagara,  she  ranged  ahead 
of  the  Lawrence  and  to  windward  of  her,  bringing  the 
Commodore's  ship  between  her  and  the  enemy,  when 
it  was  in  Captain  Elliot's  power  to  have  passed  to  lee- 
ward  and  relieved  the  Lawrence  from  the  destructive 
fire  of  the  Detroit  and  Queen  Charlotte,  the  wind  being 
at  that  time  southeast  and  the  American  squadron  steer- 
ing  large,  with  the  exception  of  the  Lawrence,  she  be- 
ing at  that  time  entirely  disabled  and  unmanageable. 
It  was  the  opinion  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  squad- 
ron, that  Captain  Elliot  did  not  do  his  duty  on  the  10th 
of  September,  and  that,  had  his  conduct  been  that  of  a 
brave  man,  there  is  no  possible  reason  that  can  bo 
given  why  his  vessel  was  not  brought  into  close  action 
10 


(1 


114 


CAPT.  BROWNELL's  AFFIDAVIT. 


with  tlio  British  squadron  long  before  Commodore  Per- 
ry went  on  board  of  her,  she  being  equal  in  point  of 
sailing  with  the  Lawrence.  Great  indignation  was 
expressed  by  the  officers  in  general  at  the  base  con- 
duct of  Captain  Elliot  in  neglecting  to  support  the 
Lawrence  ;  but  understanding  from  Lieutenant  Turner 
that  Commodore  Perry  wished  to  screen  Captain  Elliot, 
we  forbore  to  make  any  remarks  publicly  on  his  con- 
duct. The  Volunteers,  however,  not  being  actuated 
by  the  same  motives  that  induced  those  under  the  com- 
mand of  Commodore  Perry  to  remain  silent,  expressed 
their  feelings  without  any  reserve  whatever.  At  the 
close  of  the  action.  Captain  Elliot  was  on  board  of  the 
schooner  Somers,  and  behaved,  as  I  am  told  by  the 
officers  of  that  vessel,  in  a  manner  altogether  unbecom- 
ing an  officer,  by  beating  a  captain  of  a  gun  severely 
with  a  speaking  trumpet  for  laughing  when  he  (Captain 
Elliot)  dodged  a  shot. 

He  also  arrested  the  commanding  officer  of  that  ves- 
sel (Sailing  Master  Almy)  for  intoxication,  and  I  have 
frequently  been  informed,  by  the  officers  and  men  of 
that  vessel,  that  he  was  in  a  perfect  state  of  sobriety 
and  did  every  thing  that  a  brave  man  could  do  to  de- 
stroy the  enemy.  I  was  ordered  to  that  vessel  a  few 
hours  after  the  action  and  found  him  perfectly  sober 
but  his  feelings  much  wounded  by  Captain  Elliot's 
false  report.  I  was  told  by  Lieut.  Champlin  and  oth- 
ers, that  Captain  Elliot  said  he  regretted  he  did  not 
sacrifice  the  American  fleet,  and  that  it  was  decidedly 
in  his  power  to  have  done  so.  Captain  Elliot  applied 
to  me  for  a  certificate  of  his  conduct  in  that  action ;  I 


ill  m 


CAPT.  Taylor's  affidavit. 


115 


told  him  I  could  not  say  any  thing  in  his  favor,  and 
that  I  stood  ready  at  any  time  to  give  my  sentiments 
before  a  court  of  investigation.  After  the  action,  I  was 
on  board  the  Caledonia,  when  Captain  Bignall,  of  the 
British  navy,  remarked,  that  had  Captain  Elliot  be- 
longed to  the  British  navy,  he  would  have  been  hanged. 
Mr.  Magrath,  who  signed  a  letter  prejudicial  to  the 
character  of  Captain  Perry,  told  me  he  would  sacrifice 
his  right  arm  if  he  could  withdraw  his  name  from  that 
paper. 

(Signed)  THOMAS  BROWNELL. 


Copy  of  the  affidavit  of  Captain  William  V.  Taylor^ 
Sailing  Master  of  the  United  States  brig  Lawrence^ 
in  the  action  of  the  10</t  of  Septemhery  1813. 
I  am  requr-  f1  to  stale  such  facts  as  came  within 
my  knowledge  relating  to  the  battle  on  Lake  Erie,  on 
the  10th  of  September,  1813,  at  which  time  I  was 
Sailing  Master  on  board  the  Lawrence.  Our  squad- 
ron, was  then  lying  in  Put-in-Bay,  with  some  small  isl- 
ands, of  which  Snake  Island  was  the  chief,  to  the  lee- 
ward. At  day  light,  the  enemy's  squadron  was  dis- 
covered in  the  N.  W.  from  the  mast  head  of  the  Law- 
rence ;  when  Commodore  Perry  immediately  ordered 
the  signal  made  to  get  under  way.  After  \\q  had  got 
under  way,  he  asked  me  if  I  thought  we  should  bo 
.able  to  work  out  to  windward  of  the  islands  in  time  to 
gain  the  weathergage  of  the  enemy.  I  replied,  that 
I  did  not  think  we  could,  the  wind  then  being  at  S.  W. 


il 

IS 


1:^. 


Ill    . 


116 


CAPT.  Taylor's  affidavit. 


and  light.  Tl.ie  Commodore  then  said  he  would  wear 
'ship,  and  go  to  leeward  of  the  islands,  as  he  was  dcter> 
mined  to  bring  the  enemy  to  battle  that  day,  even  if  he 
gave  them  the  weathergage.  The  wind,  however,  at 
this  time  hauled  to  the  southward  and  eastward,  and 
enabled  us  to  clear  the  islands,  and  keep  the  weather 
gage.  At  10  a.  m.  the  enemy,  despairing  of  gaining 
the  wind,  hove  to  in  line,  with  their  heads  to  the  west- 
ward, at  about  three  leagues  distance  ;  the  wind  then 
about  S.  E.  and  a  light  breeze.  The  signal  to  prepare 
for  action  was  made  from  the  Lawrence,  at  a  quarter 
before  meridian.  The  enemy's  flag  ship  fired  a  single 
shot  at  the  Lawrence.  Signal  was  made  for  each  ves- 
sel to  engage  her  opponentf  as  designated  in  previous 
orders ;  which  made  the  Lawrence  opposed  to  the  en- 
emy's new  ship  Detroit,  and  the  Niagara  to  the  Queen 
Charlotte.  Commodore  Perry  then  ordered  the  word 
passed  by  trumpel^  through  Captain  Elliot,  for  the 
American  squadron  to  close  up,  as  before  prescribed, 
which  was  at  half  cablets  length  distance.  At  merid- 
ian, finding  the  enemy  within  reach  of  our  carronades, 
opened  our  fire,  and  continued  nearing  them  until  with- 
in canister  range,  and  were  gallantly  supported  by  the 
Caledonia,  Lieutenant  Turner,  and  by  the  Ariel  and 
Scorpion,  both  on  our  weather  bow.  Shortly  after  the 
action  commenced,  I  observed  the  Niagara  to  be  a 
considerable  distance  astern,  with  her  main  topsail  to 
the  mast,  and  her  jib  brailed  up :  and  I  am  strongly 
impressed  with  the  belief,  that  her  top  gallant  sails  were 
never  set  until  Com.  Perry  went  on  board  of  her,  after 
the  Lawrence  had  been  disabled.     Once  or  twice  dur- 


CAPT.  Taylor's  atfidavit. 


117 


ing  tlio  engagement,  I  asked  Captain  Perry  if  ho  oi- 
served  the  conduct  of  that  ship,  and  tlio  dilFerent  con- 
duct of  the  Caledonia.  Tlio  enemy's  sliip,  Queen 
Charlotte,  taking  advant  igc  of  the  great  distance  at 
which  the  Niagara  kept  herself,  closed  with  the  De- 
troit, and  opened  her  firo  in  concert  with  that  ship  up. 
on  the  Lawrence,  wiiich  proved  so  destructive  that,  by 
half  past  one  o'clock,  p.  m.,  wo  were  completely  disa- 
bled, and  our  decks  covered  with  killed  and  wounded  : 
but  the  animating  exertions  of  Captain  Perry  kept 
alive  the  spirits  of  the  small  remnant  of  our  crew,  and 
the  action  was  continued  until  only  one  gun  could  be 
fired,  at  which  Captain  Perry  assisted  himself.  He 
then  determined  to  quit  the  Lawrence,  and  take  com- 
mand of  the  Niagara,  which  ship  he  observed  did  not 
appear  to  be  much  injured.  The  American  flag,  he 
said,  should  not  be  hauled  down  from  over  his  head  on 
that  day.  At  the  time  of  Captain  Perry's  leaving  the 
Lawrence,  the  Niagara  was  passing  our  larboard 
beam,  at  from  a  quarter  to  half  a  mile's  distance ; 
leaving  the  Lawrence  between  that  ship  and  the  ene- 
my. The  Caledonia  at  the  same  time  passing  our 
starboard  beam,  and  between  us  and  the  enemy.  I 
anxiously  watched  the  course  of  our  noble  commander, 
after  he  left  the  Lawrence  for  the  Niagara.  The  en- 
emy  had  dip'Dvered  his  design,  and  directed  their  fire 
at  the  boat  he  was  in.  He  however  remained  stand- 
ing up  in  her  stern,  until  the  entreaties  of  the  men  pre- 
vailed upon  him  to  sit  down.  I  learnt  afterv  ""o,  that 
they  had  implored  him  with  tears  not  to  expose  nim- 
self  as  a  mark  for  the  enemy's  fire ;  and  finally  de- 
10* 


""1^ 


118 


CAPT.  Taylor's  affidavit- 


clared,  that  they  would  lay  on  their  oars,  unless  he  sat 
down.  It  was  a  considerable  time,  with  all  the  exer- 
tions of  the  boat's  crew,  before  Captain  Perry  could 
como-  up  with  the  Niagara.  When  he  did  get  on  board 
that  ship,  he  immediately  brought  her  into  action  ;  and 
passing  through  the  enemy's  squadron,  poured  into 
them  a  tremendous  fire  from  both  sides.  In  a  few 
minutes,  the  enemj  's  vessels  surrendered  to  hinrv  and 
struck  their  colors,  except  two  small  vessels,  which 
attempted  to  escape,  but  wore  pursued  and  captured. 

I  had  assisted  in  the  equipment  of  the  Niagara,  as 
well  as  the  Lawrence.  The  former  ship  was  in  all 
respects  fully  equal  to  the  latter,  in  size — in  numbei*, 
weight,  and' description  of  guns — in  rigging  a  d  equip- 
ment,  and  in  point  of  sailing.  Before  Captain  Elliot 
arrived  on  liake  Erie,  the  Niagara  was  commanded 
by  Lieutenant  Turner,  and  the  squadron  had  already 
been  out  one  cruise,  manned  chiefly  with  volunteer 
militia.  Captain  Elliot  brought  up  with  him  from  On- 
tario from  90  to  100  prime  men;  the  chief  part  of 
which  he  took  on, board  the  Niagara,  which  ship  was 
much  better  manned  than  the  Lawrence ;  a  great  pro- 
portion  of  v/hose  crew  was  on  the  sick  list,  and  most  of 
the  remainder  not  effective  men  ;  consisting  chiefly  of 
volunteer  militia  of  all  descriptions,  and  exhausted  by 
previous  exertions.  I  was  on  board  the  Niagara,  when 
Captain  Elliot  took  command  of  her,  and  when  that 
part  of  her  crew  which  came  from  the  Ontario  first 
came  on  board,  and  I  observed  that  as  they  came  along- 
side in  their  boats,  he  called  out  from  am.ong  them  the 
men  previously  designated  for  the  different  posts  and 


CAPT.  Taylor's  affidavit. 


119 


•stations  about  the  ship  and  tops ;  so  that  it  appeared 
that  his  men  were  already  selected.  This  occasioned 
my  observing  to  Commodore  Perry,  that  the  different 
vessels  of  the  squadron  were  very  unequally  manned, 
in  consequence  of  so  great  a  proportion  of  the  effective 
men  being  engrossed  by  the  Niagara  alone.  He  did 
not  think  proper,  however,  to  make  any  alteration. 
All  necessary  orders  previous  to  the  engagement  were 
distinctly  given  in  writing,  and  put  into  the  hands  of 
each  commandei*  •  and  the  last  words  of  Commodore 
Perry,  to  all  the  officers  assembled  on  the  eve  of  the 
battle,  (as  was  related  to  me  at  the  time)  were,  that  he 
could  not  advise  them  better  than  in  the  words  of  Lord 
Nelson — "  If  you  lay  your  enemy  alongside,  you  cannot 
be  out  of  your  place"  After  the  firing  had  commenced 
on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  at  about  a  mile's  distance, 
Commodore  Perry  gave  an  order  by  trumpet  for  the 
vessels  astern  to  close  up  in  the  line.  The  Niagara 
was  then  near  enough  to  the  Lawrence  to  receive  and 
pass  this  order,  I  do  not  think  she  was,  during  the 
engagement,  much  nearer  to  the  enemy  than  she  then 
was,  until  brought  into  action  by  Commodore  Perry. 
It  was  generally  understood,  that  one  or  two  only  of  her 
men  had  then  been  wounded.  If  it  had  been  the  desire 
of  the  commander  of  the  Niagara  to  have  joined  in  the 
action,  and  engaged  the  Queen  Charlotte,  as  ordered, 
I  know  of  no  cause  which  could  have  prevented  liis  so 
doing.  The  wind,  though  light,  was  favorable,  and 
there  was  as  much  of  it  for  the  Niagara  as  for  the  Late- 
rence.  It  was  the  general,  opinion  of  the  officers  after 
the  battle,  that  had  the  Niagara  followed  the  example 


/' 


.^.  >, 


r' 


( 


!.  ! 


!| 


IL^ 


120 


DR.  parsons'  letter. 


of  the  Lawrence,  the  enemy  would  have  been  com- 
pelled to  surrender  in  a  much  shorter  time,  and  with 
much  less  loss  on  our  side.  So  much  indignation  waa 
sxcited  by  the  conduct  of  the  Niagara,  that  even  the 
seamen  broke  out  in  open  murmurs  ;  but  Commodore 
Perry  requested  the  officers  to  silence  every  complaint 
against  Captain  Elliot,  saying,  that  sufficient  honor  had 
been  gained  for  all ;  and  he  was  desirous  that  the  pub- 
lic attention  might  not  be  attracted  to  any  differences 
in  the  fleet.  His  official  account,  when  read  at  Erie, 
gave  much  dissatisfaction  to  moat  of  the  officers.  They 
thought  Captain  Elliot  too  honorably  mentioned  in  itr 
(Signed)  ,       W.  V.  TAYLOR. 


Letter  of  Dr.  Usher  Parsons,  to  Dr.  C.  G.  Perry,  son 
of  the  late  Commodore  Perry,  who  requested  from 
him  an  account  of  what  occurred  in  the  Surgical  De- 
partment of  the  battle,  and  who  has  obligingly  per- 
mitted  us  to  insert  if. 

The  crews  of  the  nine  vesse^ .  consisted  of  about  six 
hundred  officers  and  men.  They  left  Erie  four  weeks 
previous  to  the  action,  in  good  health,  but  were  soon 
visited  by  a  bilious  fever,  which  spread  through  the 
fleet,  attacking  from  twenty  to  thirty  in  a  day.  It  was 
of  short  duration,  and  in  one  instance  only  proved  fa- 
tal. So  rapid  were  the  recoveries,  that  of  more  than 
two  hundred  cases,  only  seventy-eight  were  uported 
unfit   for  duty  on  the  day  previous  to  the  aetionr 


€- 


DR.  parsons'  letter. 


121 


Thirty-one  of  these  were  on  board  the  Lawrence,  and 
nearly  the  same  number  on  board  the  Niagara — their 
whole  crews  exceeding  one  hundred  and  thirty  persons 
each. 

There  were  three  medical  officers  attached  to  the 
fleet,  viz.  Dr.  Barton,  Surgeon  of  tlie  Niagara,  Dr. 
Horsely,  Surgeon  of  the  Lawrence,  and  myself,  Sur- 
geon's  Mate.  The  sick  of  the  seven  smaller  vessels 
were  placed  under  the  sole  charge  of  the  Surgeon's 
Mate. 

Among  the  sufferers  from  fever  were  all  the  medi- 
cal officers.  The  Surgeon's  Mate,  being  first  attacked, 
was  convalescent  and  en  duty  before  the  pthers  were 
disabled,  and  for  some  days  previous  and  subsequent 
to  the  battle,  had  sole  charge  of  the  sick  of  the  fleet, 
including  the  two  Surgeons. 

The  enemy's  fleet  was  discovered  from  the  mast 
head  at  5  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  at  7,  all  the  vessels  could 
be  seen  from  the  deck.  At  9,  began  the  busy  scene 
of  casting  loose  guns,  drawing  around  them  supplies  of 
balls,  grape  and  canister,  arranging  pikes  and  cut- 
lasses, and  girding  on  pistols  for  boarding,  hammering 
flints,  nnd  lighting  matches.  Mutual  requests  passed 
between  individuals, for  the  survivor  to  notify  the  friends 
of  the  non-survivor  and  to  taiiu  v^bargc  of  his  effects  ; 
and  tiie  Commodore  handed  to  the  Surgeon  a  package 
of  papers,  inclosed  in  lead,  to  bo  thrown  overboard  in 
the  event  of  his  fulling. 

The  shallowness  of  the  vessels  allov.'ing  no  place  of 
security  for  the  wounded,  they  were  received  upon  the 
wardroom  floor,  which  was  on  a  level  with  the  surface 


12^' 


DR.  PARSONS'  LETTER. 


of  the  water,  and  about  ten  feet  square.  The  hatcli- 
way  leading  from  this  room  to  the  deck  was  closed, 
leaving  a  small  aperture  for  passing  cartridges  through 
from  the  magazine  to  the  deck.  Men  were  stationed 
forward  at  the  main  hatchway  to  receive  the  wounded 
and  pass  them  through  the  steerage  to  the  wardroom, 
and  to  take  them  again  from  the  Surgeon  forward  to 
the  berth  deck. 

At  10  o'clock,  martial  music  struck  up  the  thrilling 
sound  of  "  all  hands  to  quarters  /"  The  fighting  flag 
was  then  displayed  at  mast  head,  and  the  valor  and 
patriotism  of  the  crew  appealed  to*  by  the  Cotnmodore, 
which  they  responded  to  with  three  hearty  cheers. 

A  breathless  stillness  now  reigned  through  the  ship, 
more  dreary  below  deck  from  the  dim  twilight  of 
the  apartment.  The  dread  scene  too,  so  near  at 
hand,  was  painted  by  the  imagination  in  horrid  forms,- 
yet  mingled  with  buoyant  hopes  of  victory  and  of  again 
seeing  home  and  kindred.  But  the  scene  changed. 
Suddenly  we  were  roused  from  a  long  reverie  of  fore, 
boding  suspense,  by  the  electrifying  sound  of  the  ene- 
my's cannon  ;  and  soon  followed  the  deafening  thunders 
of  our  own  broadsides-— the  crash  of  balls  hulling  our 
bulwarks,  and  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded  upon  deck  \ 

The  wounded  poured  down  so  fast  that  nothing  fur- 
ther  was  attempted  for  them  during  the  battle,  than 
securing  bleeding  arteries  and  applying  splints  to  shat- 
tered limbs,  and  severing  from  the  body  such  limbs  as 
hung  by  small  portions  of  flesh.  Several  after  receiv- 
ing this  treatment  were  agam  wounded  ;  a  young  offi- 
cer while  moving  from  me  with  a  tourniquet  on  the 


DR.  parsons'  letter. 


123 


arm,  received  a  cannon  ball  in  the  chest ;  and  a  sea- 
man with  both  arms  fractured  was  afterwards  killed 
by  a  cannon  ball. 

The  battle  raged  with  great  fury ;  and  in  an  hour 
and  a  half,  had  so  far  swept  the  decks  that  new  appeals 
for  surgical  aid  were  less  frequent,  a  remission  at  this 
time  most  welcome,  as  the  repeated  request  of  the 
Commodore  to  spare  him  another  man,  had  taken  the 
last  one  stationed  to  assist  in  mov'  . ,  the  wounded;  and 
it  is  worthy  of  record,  that  several  of  the  wounded, 
themselves,  crawled  upon  deck  at  this  critical  period, 
to  lend  a  feeble  hand  at  the  guns. 

But  our  prospects  continued  to  darken  ;  every  new 
visiter  from  the  deck  bringing  tidings  still  more  dismal 
than  the  last,  till  finally  it  was  announced  that  we  had 
surrendered.  The  effect  of  this  upon  the  wounded 
was  overwhelming.  Medical  aid  was  rejected,  and 
little  else  could  be  heard,  than,  "  sink  the  ship ;  let  us 
all  sink  together." 

This  state  of  despair,  was,  however,  short.  The 
Commodore  was  still  unhurt — had  gone  on  board  the 
Niagara,  and  with  the  small  vessels  bearing  down  up- 
on  the  enemy,  soon  brought  down  the  flags  of  their  two 
heaviest  ships,  which  changed  the  horrors  of  defeat 
into  shouts  of  victory. 

But  all  the  wounded  were  not  permitted  to  mingle  in 
the  joy.  The  gallant  Brooks,  and  some  others,  were 
no  more.*     They  were  too  much  exhausted  by  their 


*  I  stated  in  an  affidavit  some  years  since,  that  the  wound- 
ed,  from  the  first  of  their  coining  down,  complained  that  the 
Niagara  did  not  come  to  her  station  and  close  v  Ith  the  Queen 


75" 


124 


DR.  parsons'  letter. 


wounds  to  survive  the  tumultuous  scene  that  immedi- 
ately preceded  this  happy  transition. 

The  action  terminated  shortly  after  three  o'clock  ; 
and,  of  about  one  hundred  men  reported  as  fit  for  duty 
in  the  morning,  tweiily-two  were  found  dead  and  sixty- 
one  wounded.  The  wounded  arteries  occupied  my 
first  attention  ;  all  which,  except  where  amputation 
was  required,  were  rendered  secure  before  dark.  Hav- 
ing no  medical  assistant,  I  deem  jd  it  safer  to  defer  am- 
putations  till  morning,  and  in  the  mr^mtime  suffered 
the  tourniquets  to  remain  on  the  limbs.  Nothing  more 
was  attempted  during  the  night,  than  to  administer  opi- 
ates and  cordials,  and  preserve  shattered  limbs  in  a 
uniform  position.  At  daylight  a  patient  was  on  the 
table  for  an  amputation  ;  and  at  eleven  o'clock,  all  am- 
putations  were  finished.  The  impatience  of  this  class 
of  wounded  to  meet  the  operation,  made  it  necessary 
to  take  them  in  the  order  in  which  they  fell.  The 
other  wounded  occupied  my  attention  till  midnight. 

The  day  following,  I  visited  the  wounded  of  the  Nia- 
gara, who  had  lain  till  that  time  (48  hours)  with  their 
wounds  undressed.  The  Surgeon  was  sick  in  bed, 
with  hands  too  feeble  to  execute  the  dictates  of  a  feel- 
ing heart.  Twenty-one  wounded  were  mustered,  all  of 
whom,  that  required  surgical  aid,  were  taken  on  board 
the  Lawrence,  now  used  as  a  hospital  ship  for  the 
wounded  of  the  whole  fleet.  The  officers  of  the  Nia- 
gara  afterwards  sent  me  the  names  of  four  more  wound- 

Charlotte,  although  ordered  to  do  so  by  signal.  This  com- 
plaint  I  well  remember,  was  frequently  repeated  by  the  offi- 
cers, and  in  such  terms  as  will  never  be  forgotten. 


DR.  parsons'  letter. 


125 


e(J,  who  were  absent  from  the  ship  on  duty  when  I  was 
on  board,  which  increased  her  whole  number  to  twenty, 
five,  as  reported  in  the  official  account.  It  was  as- 
certained by  inquiry,  that  only  two  of  them  were 
wounded  before  Perry  came  on  board  the  Niagara. 
The  whole  number  killed  was  two,  as  officially  re- 
ported by  her  commander  to  the  Commodore. 

I  am  the  more  particular  here,  because  it  has  been 
stated  in  an  affidavit  sent  to  Captain  Elliot  in  1621,  by 
the  Surgeon  of  the  Niagara,  "  that  the  exact  number, 
including  those  dangerously  wounded,  was  twenty- 
seven,  and  the  slight  cases  not  reported  must  have 
amounted  to  six  or  eight  more — that  five  were  killed 
during  the  action,  and  a  few  died  soon  after."* 

This  intelligence  from  his  Surgeon  must  have  been 
new  and  unexpected  to  Captain  Elliot,  as  it  was  never 
heard  of  in  the  fleet  during  the  subsequent  year  of  its 


4 


[*  The  publisher  has  seen  the  affidavit  alluded  to,  of  Dr.  Bar- 
ton, and  also  an  attempt,  by  Captain  Elliot,  or  some  anony- 
mous writer  in  his  service,  to  array  it  against  the  statement 
of  Dr.  Parsons,  relative  to  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded 
on  board  the  Niagara.  But  Dr.  Barton's  sickness  at  the  time, 
must  excuse  his  ignorance  of  the  fact,  that  the  official  list  of 
killed  and  wounded  in  each  vessel  was  made  out  and  certified 
to  by  their  respective  officers.  That  the  reader  may  be  enabled 
to  determine  whether  Dr.  Barton's  or  Dr.  Parsons'  statement 
is  most  to  be  relied  on,  we  here  subjoin  an  extract  of  a  letter, 
written  shortly  after  the  battle,  by  Commodore  Perry  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  respecting  the  services  of  the  medical 
officers. 

'<  Of  Dr.  Parsons,  surgeon's  mate,  1  cannot  say  too  much. 
In  consequence  of  the  indisposition  of  both  surgeons,  Drs. 
Horseley  and  Barton,  the  duty  of  operating,  dressing,  and  at. 
tending  a  hundred  wounded,  and  as  many  sick,  devolved  en- 
tirely  on  him  ;  and  it  must  be  pleasing  to  you,  sir,  to  rcUcct, 
thaf.  of  the  whole  number,  only  three  have  died."] 
11 


w 


f 


I  I: 


u 


I    ■ 


1^ 


f  \ 


,*' 


ne 


A  PRIVATE  LETTER. 


sailing  on  the  lake,  and  is  at  variance  witii  the  report 
of  the  officers  of  the  Niagara  who  furnished  the  names 
of  the  wounded  at  the  time,  whilst  the  Surgeon  was 
sick  in  his  hammock. 

TOTAL   LIST    OF   KILLED   AND   WOUNDED    IN    THE    FLEET. 


Lawrence, 

22  killed. 

61  wounded. 

Niagara, 

2      " 

26        " 

Caledonia, 

3       « 

Somers, 

2        «♦ 

Ariel, 

1      « 

3       « 

Trippe, 

2       » 

Scorpion, 

2      « 

Total, 


27 


« 


96 


(( 


Killed  in  the  British  vessels  41,  wounded  94.  '\ 
Of  the  whole  number  wounded  in  the  American 
fleet,  three  died.  The  recovery  of  so  large  a  propor- 
tion, is  in  some  measure  attributable  to  their  being 
abundantly  supplied  with  fresh  provisions  and  pure 
water,  to  a  pure  atmosphere  under  an  awning  upon 
deck,  to  the  cheerful  state  of  mind  occasioned  by  vic- 
tory, and  to  the  devoted  attention  of  the  Commodore  to 
every  want. 

The  following  is  an  extract  of  a  private  letter  from 
an  officer  of  the  United  States  Navy,  who  was  an 
eyewitness  of  the  scene  described  :  > 

October  7,  1813. 

"  Had  I  been  able,  I  should  before  now  have  sent 
you  some  particulars  of  the  action  of  the  memorable 
10th  of  September.  As  we  have  not  many  letter  wri- 
ters in  our  squadron,  the  public  will  have  to  put  up 


A  PRIVATE  LETTER. 


127 


i 


with  the  Commodore's  *  round,  unvarnished  tale  ;* 
which,  however,  is  very  well  told.  All  the  fault  !  find 
with  it  is,  that  he  himself  is  too  much  in  the  back 
ground. 

"  In  no  action  fought  this  war  has  the  conduct  of  the 
commanding  officer  been  so  conspicuous  or  so  evidently 
decisive  of  the  fate  of  the  battle,  as  in  this.  When  he 
discovered  that  nothing  further  could  be  done  in  the 
Lawrence,  he  wisely  removed  to  the  Niagara,  and  by 
one  of  the  boldest  and  most  judicious  manoeuvres  ever 
practised,  decided  the  contest  at  once.  Had  the  Niag. 
ara  shared  the  fate  of  the  Lawrence,  it  was  his  intention 
to  have  removed  to  the  next  best  vessel,  and  so  on  as 
long  as  one  of  his  squadron  continued  to  float.  The 
enemy  saw  him  put  off,  and  acknowledged  that  they 
fired  a  broadside  at  him.  With  his  usual  gallantry  he 
went  off  standing  up  in  the  stern  of  the  boat ;  but  the 
crew  insisted  on  his  sitting  down.  The  enemy  speak 
with  admiration  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Lawrence 
bore  down  upon  them.  She  continued  her  course  so 
long  and  so  obstinately,  that  they  thought  we  were 
going  to  board  them.  They  had  a  great  advantage  in 
having  long  guns.  Many  of  our  men  were  killed  on 
the  berth  deck  and  in  the  steerage,  after  they  were 
taken  below  to  be  dressed. — Midshipman  Laub  was  of 
this  number.  One  shot  went  through  the  light  room, 
and  knocked  the  snuff  of  the  candle  into  the  magazine 
— the  gunner  happened  to  see  it  immediately,  and  ex- 
tinguished  it  with  his  hand  :  2  shot  passed  through  the 
magazine  ;  2  through  the  cabin  ;  3  or  4  came  into  the 
ward  room — but  I  believe  only  one  went  quite  through, 


1^8 


ELLIOT'S  LETTER  TO  PERRY. 


II  :i' 


and  that  passed  a  few  inches  over  the  surgeon's  head 
as  he  sat  in  the  cockpit.  Our  short  guns  lodged  their 
shot  in  the  bulwarks  of  the  Detroit ;  where  a  number 
of  them  now  remain.  Her  bulwarks,  however,  were 
vastly  superior  to  ours,  being  of  oak,  and  very  thick. 
Many  of  their  grape  shot  came  through  ours.  They 
acknowledge  that  they  threw  combustible  matter  on 
board  of  us,  which  set  our  sails  and  rigging  on  fire  in 
several  places.  I  am  clearly  of  opinion,  that  they 
were  better  manned  than  we  were.  They  had  a  much 
greater  number — they  had  veteran  troops — their  men 
were  all  well.  We  had  as  motley  a  crew  as  ever  went 
into  action  ;  and  our  vessels  looked  like  hospital  ships." 


Letter  from  Captain  Elliot  to  Captain  Perry.  ['^'^>  date.l 
Sir  :  Communications  which  have  r(  L-;^ntly  been 
made  me,  and  exact  copies  of  which  I  herewith  enclose 
you,  render  it  necessary  that  I  should  hear  from  you 
immediately.  As  soon  as  I  heard  of  your  late  visit  to 
Washington,  I  lost  no  time  in  hurrying  off  from  this 
place,  with  a  hope  that  we  should  meet  and  settle  those 
differences  which  have  so  long  existed ;  your  sudden, 
and  to  me  unexpected,  departure  from  that  city,  pre- 
vented the  contemplated  meeting ;  and  my  orders  to 
sit  on  a  Court  Martial,  in  Baltimore,  which  detained 
me  from  this  place  longer  than  I  at  first  expected,  has 
induced  me  to  return  to  Virginia,  and  instead  of  the 
personal  interview,  which  had  alone  carried  me  from 
home,  and  which  I  had  so  anxiously  hoped  for  would 
take  place,  now  compejls  me  to  address  you  at  a  mo. 


•H 


i  i 


¥ 


*"' 


ELLIOTTS  LETTER  TO  PERRr. 


129 


mcnt  when  I  might  seem  if  prompted  by  the  Inte  public 
investigation  of  your  Mediterranean  command. 

The  wrongs  which  I  have  suffered  are  many ;  and 
after  taking  a  retrospect  of  all  the  transations  connected 
with  our  ainiirs  which  have  been  made  public,  I  am  at 
a  loss  to  know  how  it  was  possible  you  could  have 
made  such  representations  as  are  contained  in  the  cer- 
tificates herewith  enclosed.  Immediately  aflertho  ac- 
tion  on  Lake  Erie,  you  must  recollect,  that  reports 
prejudicial  to  my  character  were  put  in  circulation ; 
when  I  called  on  you  for  a  written  contradiction  of 
them,  (your  answer,  I  presume,  is  in  your  possession) 
you  say  in  your  letter,  "  You  have  no  fault  to  find  with 
myself,  ofllicers,  and  crew — compliment  me  by  saying, 
you  are  indebted  in  a  great  measure,  for  the  victory, 
to  my  bringing  the  small  vessels  into  close  action,"  and 
conclude,  with  a  positive  assertion,  that  the  Niagara 
would,  from  her  superior  order,  have  taken  the  Queen 
Charlotte  in  twenty  minutes,  had  she  not  made  sail  and 
engaged  the  Lawrence. 

What,  sir,  has  since  occurred,  to  draw  from  you  such 
base,  false,  and  malicious  reports,  as  contained  in  the 
certificates  enclosed  ?  I  will  conclude  mv  remarks 
with  one  or  two  observations,  and  permit  you  to  draw 
such  inferences  as  your  feelings  of  honor  may  dictate  ; 
hoping,  that  you  will  never  again  have  occasion,  either 
in  the  society  of  the  ladies,  or  that  of  young  navy  offi- 
cers,  to  make  use  of  expressions  of  a  similar  nature, 
and  which,  too,  intended  to  my  injury.  Pray,  sir,  has 
your  memory  been  so  treacherous,  as  to  fail  recollect- 
ing an  interview  at  Erie,  and  that  you  then  said,  "  if  I 


130 


perry's  reply  to  ELLiOT. 


,  i 


I. 


would  not  dwell  on  the  action,  that  you  would  write  a 
private  letter  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and 
express  your  surprise  that  the  country  did  not  give  me 
half  the  honor  in  the  victory  ?       With  proper  respect, 

J.  D.  ELLIOT." 


Commodore  Pcrnfs  reply  to  Captain  Elliot. 

Newport,  (R.  I.)  Juno  10,  1818^ 
Sir  :  The  letter  which  I  have  lately  received  from 
you  has  evidently  been  written  lor  the  purpose  of  be- 
ing  exhibited  to  your  friends,  and  in  the  hope  that, 
passing  without  reply,  it  might  gain  credit  among  those 
upon  whom  you  have  been  long  in  the  habit  of  prac. 
tising  similar  impositions.  You  had  much  reason,  sir, 
to  indulge  in  such  a  hope. 

It  is  humiliating  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  reply, 
ing  to  any  letters  written  by  a  person  who  so  little 
knows  what  becomes  a  gentleman.  I  must  not,  how. 
ever,  permit  you  to  derive  from  my  silence  any  coun. 
tenance  to  the  gross  falsehoods  contained  in  your  let. 
ter,  and  which  it  would  be  an  affectation  of  decorum  to 
call  by  any  other  name;  such  particularly,  is  the  absurd 
declaration  you  impute  to  mo  in  the  close  of  it,  and  tho 
perverted  account  you  give  of  the  manner  in  which  I 
was  once  induced  to  write  a  letter  in  your  favor.  How 
imprudent,  as  well  as  base,  it  is  in  you,  by  such  mis- 
representations, to  reduce  me  to  the  necessity  of  re. 
minding  you  of  the  abject  condition  in  which  I  had  pre. 
viously  found  you,  and  by  which  I  was  moved  to  af- 
ford  you  all  the  countenance  in  my  power ;  sick  (or 
pretending  to  be  sick)  in  bed,  in  consequence  of  dis. 


perry's  reply  to  ELLIOT. 


181 


*. 


tress  of  mind,  declaring  ihut  you  Imd  missed  the  fairest 
opportunity  of  distinguisliing  yourself  that  ever  mun 
had,  and  lamenting  so  pitcously  the  loss  of  your  ropu- 
tation,  that  I  was  prompted  to  make  almost  any  effort 
to  relieve  you  from  the  shame  which  seemed  to  over- 
whelm you.     This,  you  very  well  know,  was  the  ori- 
gin  of  the  certificate  I  then  granted  you ;  and  that 
your  letter  to  me,  (of  which  you  once  furnished  a  false 
copy  for  publication,  and  which  you  now  represent  as 
making  a  demand  upon  me,)  was  merely  an  introduc- 
tion to  mine.     Another  motive  I  had  which  you  could 
not  appreciate,  but  which  I  urged  with  success  on  the 
other  officers :  it  resulted  from  a  strong,  and  I  then 
hoped,  pardonable,  desire  that  the  public  eye  niight 
only  rest  upon  the  gallant  conduct  of  the  fleet,  and  not 
be  attracted  to  its  blemishes,  as  1  feared  it  would  be 
by  th^  irritation  excited  by  your  conduct  among  the 
officers  and  men,  most  of  whom,  I  hoped,  had  acquired 
sufficient  honor  to  gratify  their  ambition,  even  should  that 
honor  be  shared  by  some  one  who  might  less  deserve  it. 
The  expressions  stated  in  your  two  certificates  to 
have  been  made  use  of  by  .;;e,  when  speaking  of  your 
unmanly  conduct,  were  probably  the  most  lenient  I  have 
for  a  long  time  employed  when  called  upon  to  express 
my  opinion  of  you ;  and,  thoroughly  known,  as  you 
must  be  conscious  your  character  is  to  me,  it  was  quite 
needless  for  you  to  have  procured  certificates  of  the 
contempt  with  which  I  have  spoken  of  you.    You  might 
readily,  however,  have  furnished  much  more  ample 
ones,  and  of  a  much  earlier  date,  than  those  it  has  suit- 
ed you  to  produce ;  fot  you  allowed  but  little  time  to 


■T^^i 


13^ 


PERRY'S  REPLY  TO  ELLIOl. 


♦.lapse,  after  receiving  the  benefits  of  my  letter,  before 
your  fulsehoo''''  and  intrigues  against  nie  made  me  fully 
sensible  of  the  error  I  had  committed  in  endeavoring 
to  prop  ZQ  'inprincipled  a  character. 

If  it  be  really  true  that  you  hurried  to  Washington 
for  the  purpose  of  inviting  me  to  a  nieeting,  it  is  indeed 
unfortunate  that  intentions  for  which  you  give  yourself 
so  great  credit  have  evaporrited  in  a  pitiful  letter,  which 
none  but  a  base  and  vulgar  mind  could  have  dictated. 
The  reputation  you  have  lost  is  not  to  be  recovered  by 
such  artifices  ;  it  was  tarnished  by  your  own  beha< 
vior  on  Lake  Erie,  tind  has  constantly  been  tendered 
iiiore  desperate  by  your  subsequent  folly  and  habitual 
falsehoo's.  You  cannot  wonder  at  the  loss  :  that  rep- 
utation which  has  neither  honor  nor  truth,  nor  courage 
for  its  basis,  must  ever  be  of  short  duration.  Mean 
and  despicable  as  you  have  proved  yourself  to  be,  I 
shall  never  cease  to  criminate  myself  for  having  devi. 
ated  from  the  path  of  strict  propriety,  for  the  sake  of 
screening  you  from  public  contempt  and  indignation. 
For  this  oflTence  to  the  community  I  will  atone,  in  due 
time,  by  a  full  disclosure  of  ycur  disgraceful  conduct. 
But  that  you,  of  all  men,  should  exultingly  charge  mb 
with  an  error  committed  in  your  favor,  and  b3'  which 
you  were  (as  far  as  a  man  in  your  situation  could  ^e) 
saved  from  disgrace,  is  a  degree  of  turpitude  of  whicli 
1  had  before  no  conception.  O.  H.  PERRY. 


■"^ 


'¥ 


,» 


■'I**- 


*v 


'% 


Ji 
•« 


